HCV core enhances HIV-1 BaL infection of THP-1 macrophages and MDMs. (A) HCV core dose
curve experiment. THP-1 differentiated cells were stimulated with 0.1, 0.5, 1.0, 2.5, and
5 μg/ml of HCV core, or β-Gal recombinant protein control at 12 hours
after infection with a luc-reporter, macrophage-tropic BaL HIV-1 pseudotype. (B) HCV core
time course experiment. THP-1 differentiated cells were stimulated with 5 μg/ml of
HCV core, or β-Gal recombinant protein control at the time of infection (time 0)
and 4, 8,12, and 24 hours after HIV-1 BaL infection. (C) Primary human macrophages (MDMs)
were stimulated with 5 μg/ml of HCV core, or β-Gal recombinant protein
control at 12 hours after HIV-1 BaL infection. LTR-driven Luciferase activity was measured
2 days after infection and results from 5 independent experiments (THP-1) and 2
independent MDMs donors are shown. Luciferase activity in cell lysates was measured as
relative light units per second. Data are shown as percent luciferase expression relative
to HIV-1 infected alone cells (mean ± SD). Values that were significantly
different (P < 0.05) from the value of HIV-infection alone group are indicated
(*).