A soluble factor induced by an extract from Pinus parviflora Sieb et Zucc can inhibit the replication of human immunodeficiency virus in vitro.

We showed that an extract (PC6) from cones of Pinus parviflora Sieb et Zucc induced the human T-cell line CEM to produce a pepsin-sensitive soluble factor(s) that could inhibit the replication of the type 1 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) in CEM T cells, in U-937 histocytes, in THP-1 monocytes, and in mitogen-activated human tonsillar mononuclear cells. Indirect immunofluorescence staining and polymerase chain reaction analysis of the PC6-induced CEM cells revealed the absence of known lymphokines/cytokines except granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), interleukin 3 (IL-3), transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-beta 1), and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha). However, functional studies with recombinant IL-3, TNF-alpha, and TGF-beta 1 showed that these three factors did not inhibit HIV-1 replication in CEM cells. Neutralization of the PC6-induced HIV-1-inhibiting factor(s) with commercially available neutralizing antibodies to GM-CSF and TNF-alpha also did not abrogate the anti-HIV-1 impact. Thus, the anti-HIV-1 factor induced by PC6 may be novel. Molecular sieve separation showed that the anti-HIV-1 factor(s) is smaller than 30 kDa. Affinity chromatography using a DEAE-cellulose column enriched the factor that inhibited HIV-1.