In article <3j0r55$bb6 at dns1.NMSU.Edu>, smori at nmsu.edu (Shahram Mori)
says:
>>>Dear immuno/HIV netters,
>I know that In vivo there has not been any evidence of HIV infection of
CD8+ve
>cells. These are the results from Dr Levy's lab who couldn't isolate HIV
>genome from CD8 cells of HIV-infected individuals using PCR. Also it is
known
>that CD8+ve cells isolated from HIV-infected individuals die in vitro
together
>with CD4+cells by apoptosis after activation.
>My 1st question is 1) Do you believe that CD8+ve cells are infectable by
HIV?
>2) How is it that they die by apoptosis [ especially if they are not
>infected]?
>Are CD* cells dependant on cytokine factors for viability which may be
>abnormal due to infection of T-helper and macrophages?
>Please post so that everybody can get involved.
We recently discussed the paper in journal club (I'mnot sure if this is
the one your are referring to)concerning HIV-mediated apoptosis of cells
in human thymic xenografts in scid mice. In those mice it appeared most
if not all thymic subpopulations were infected. This is not really my
area, but does HIV normally access the thymus? If iit does, can it
infect DP thymocytes (via CD4)? Finally,if that were to occur, after
selection on class I, wouldn't you have a lot of infected CD8's floating
around?
Bill
