Visualization of X4- and R5-Tropic HIV-1 Viruses Expressing Fluorescent Proteins in Human Endometrial Cells: Application to Tropism Study.

ABSTRACT: Worldwide most HIV infections occur through heterosexual transmission, involving complex interactions of cell-free and cell-associated particles with cells of the female genital tract mucosa. The ability of HIV-1 to "infect" epithelial cells remains poorly understood. To address this question, replicative-competent chimeric constructs expressing fluorescent proteins and harboring the envelope of X4- or R5-tropic HIV-1 strains were used to "infect" endometrial HEC1-A cells. The virus-cell interactions were visualized using confocal microscopy (CM) at various times post infection. Combined with quantification of viral RNA and total HIV DNA in infected cells, the CM pictures suggest that epithelial cells do not support a complete viral replication cycle: X4-tropic viruses are imported into th

SUBMITTER: Terrasse R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5218496 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature