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. 1991 May;87(5):1710–1715. doi: 10.1172/JCI115188

Apoptosis as a mechanism of cell death in cultured T lymphoblasts acutely infected with HIV-1.

C Terai 1, R S Kornbluth 1, C D Pauza 1, D D Richman 1, D A Carson 1
PMCID: PMC295273  PMID: 2022741

Abstract

The mechanisms by which HIV-1 infection kills T lymphocytes are not clearly established. Apoptosis is an internally programmed cell death pathway that may regulate both T cell development and senescence, and that is characterized by cleavage of DNA at internucleosomal regions. The present experiments show that acute HIV-1 infection of MT2 lymphoblasts and activated normal peripheral blood mononuclear cells induces apoptosis. The addition of anti-gp120 neutralizing antibody, after HIV-1 infection of MT2 cells, permitted sustained high levels of viral replication, but blocked apoptosis and cell death. Apoptosis may account for the direct cytopathologic effects of HIV-1 in T cells.

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Selected References

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