RSS Feeds
Infection by the Retrovirus Associated with the Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
Clinical, Biological, and Molecular Features
- JAY A. LEVY, M.D.;
- LAWRENCE S. KAMINSKY, M.D.;
- W. J. W. MORROW, Ph.D.;
- KATHELYN STEIMER, Ph.D.;
- PAUL LUCIW, Ph.D.;
- DINO DINA, M.D.;
- JAMES HOXIE, M.D.; and
- LYNDON OSHIRO, Ph.D.
Abstract
Peripheral mononuclear cells from more than 160 persons from groups at risk for the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) have yielded AIDS-associated retroviruses (ARV). Antibodies to ARV can also be found in these risk groups. Antibody-negative, virus-positive persons have been identified with early infection or possible viremia with immune complex formation. Established lines of human T and B cells, monocytes, and promyelocytes have been infected with ARV. Moreover, infectious virus has been recovered from macrophages cultured from the blood of some persons with AIDS. The cytopathic effects of ARV in T cells is associated with the accumulation of unintegrated viral forms in the infected cells. The ARV has also been isolated from plasma, serum, saliva, semen, urine, cerebrospinal fluid, and brain tissue. All these results reflect the wide host range of ARV and support its role in neurologic abnormalities seen in some patients. Molecular studies of independent ARV isolates indicate a polymorphism of nucleotide sequences, particularly in the viral envelope region. All these features place ARV in the lentivirus subfamily of human retroviruses.
Article and Author Information
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▸From the Cancer Research Institute, Department of Medicine, University of California, School of Medicine, San Francisco; Chiron Corporation, Emeryville; and the California Department of Health Services, Berkeley, California; and the Cancer Institute, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
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Grant support: in part by a U.S. Public Health Service grant #34980 from the National Cancer Institute, and a grant from the California State Universitywide Task Force on AIDS.
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▸Requests for reprints should be addressed to Jay A. Levy, M.D.; Cancer Research Institute, University of California, School of Medicine; San Francisco, CA 94143.
