Selectively reduced tat mRNA heralds the decline in productive human immunodeficiency virus type 1 infection in monocyte-derived macrophages

Abstract

The transcription and splicing of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) mRNA in primary blood monocyte-derived macrophages (MDM) and CD4+ peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) were compared to determine whether any differences might account for the slower noncytopathic infection of cells of the macrophage lineage. The expression of regulatory mRNAs during acute infection of MDM was delayed by about 12 h compared to that of PBL. In each cell type, an increase in spliced viral mRNAs slightly preceded virus production from the culture. Following the peak of productive infection, there was a proportional decrease in the expression of all regulatory mRNAs detected in PBL. In MDM, a dramatic ad..