       Document 1020
 DOCN  M9621020
 TI    Syncytium formation in cultured human lymphoid tissue: fusion of
       implanted HIV glycoprotein 120/41-expressing cells with native CD4+
       cells.
 DT    9602
 AU    Margolis LB; Glushakova S; Baibakov B; Zimmerberg J; Laboratory of
       Theoretical and Physical Biology, National; Institute of Child Health
       and Human Development, National; Institutes of Health, Bethesda,
       Maryland 20892, USA.
 SO    AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses. 1995 Jun;11(6):697-704. Unique Identifier :
       AIDSLINE MED/96078230
 AB    While glycoprotein gp120/41 clearly causes HIV-infected cells to form
       syncytia in monolayers and in suspension, there is unfortunately scant
       knowledge on syncytium formation in tissues. We implanted
       gp120/41-expressing cells labeled with fluorescent particles inside
       blocks of human lymphoid tissue kept in long-term histoculture. Observed
       by confocal microscopy, together with immunohistochemical and
       morphological analysis of implanted cells, more than one-third of these
       gp120/41-expressing cells fused with native CD4+ cells of the host
       tissue, yielding small (three to five nuclei) syncytia. Such widespread
       fusion of gp120/41-expressing cells in tissue in vitro, together with
       the finding of increased virulence of syncytium-inducing isolates of
       HIV, support the hypothesis that syncytium formation within lymph tissue
       of HIV-infected individuals contributes to AIDS pathogenesis. This
       system and the methods developed may provide a way to study HIV-infected
       cells inside the very tissue whose destruction may prevent immune system
       repopulation.
 DE    Antigens, CD20/ANALYSIS  Antigens, CD3/ANALYSIS  *Cell Fusion
       CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes/*CYTOLOGY/VIROLOGY  Giant Cells/CYTOLOGY
       Hela Cells  Human  HIV Envelope Protein gp120/*PHYSIOLOGY  HIV Envelope
       Protein gp41/*PHYSIOLOGY  *HIV-1  Tissue Culture
       Tonsil/IMMUNOLOGY/*VIROLOGY  Vaccinia Virus/GENETICS  JOURNAL ARTICLE

       SOURCE: National Library of Medicine.  NOTICE: This material may be
       protected by Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.Code).

