Growth ability of auxiliary gene mutants of human immunodeficiency virus types 1 and 2 in unstimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells

Summary

Mutational studies on the Vif, Vpr, Vpu, Vpx, and Nef genes of human immunodeficiency virus types 1 and 2 (HIV-1 and HIV-2) were performed to evaluate their biological functions in natural target cells. For this purpose, replication properties of mutant viruses derived from HIV-1 NL strain and HIV-2 GH strain in unstimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells were determined. Vif⁻ viruses of both HIV-1 and HIV-2 did not grow at all in these cells. Similarly, no replication of HIV-2 Vpx⁻ mutant was detected. In contrast, both of Vpr⁻ and Nef⁻ viruses of HIV-1 and HIV-2, and Vpu⁻ virus of HIV-1 grew quite well in the cells. These results show, together with the data previously reported, that only Vif and Vpx are essential for HIV replication in primary blood cell cultures.