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Inhibition by AZT of HIV‐1 Replication in Acutely Infected U‐937 Cells
Author(s) -
Boulerice François,
Wainberg Mark A.
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
journal of leukocyte biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.819
H-Index - 191
eISSN - 1938-3673
pISSN - 0741-5400
DOI - 10.1002/jlb.47.6.498
Subject(s) - biology , viral replication , virology , reverse transcriptase , virus , zidovudine , cell culture , antigen , in vitro , immunofluorescence , viral disease , antibody , immunology , rna , genetics , gene
We studied the effect of AZT on the replication of HIV‐1 in freshly and chronically infected U‐937 monocytoid cells over a period of 2 months. Expression of viral antigens was monitored by indirect immunofluorescence, and viral replication was assessed by reverse transcriptase assay on virus pelleted from culture fluids. In U‐937 cells not treated by AZT, viral antigens were expressed by 7 days after infection. The inclusion of a variety of concentrations of AZT in the culture medium was shown to retard virus replication in a dose‐dependent fashion, although a complete inhibitory effect was not seen with any clinically attainable concentration of drug. Exposure of HIV‐1‐inoculated cells to AZT did not give rise to progeny virus possessing a drug‐resistant phenotype. However, the study of clonal derivatives of U‐937 cells revealed cellular variants with increased susceptibility to HIV‐1, and against which AZT had reduced effectiveness in comparison with the parental line. No effect of AZT was seen on cells already infected by HIV‐1, suggesting that this drug had no influence on viral replication in U‐937 cells into which viral DNA had previously integrated.