Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
6
pubmed:dateCreated
1991-7-15
pubmed:abstractText
Langerhans cells (LC) are bone marrow-derived, HLA-DR+, CD1a+, dendritic antigen-presenting cells found in stratified squamous epithelia. Within resident epidermal cells (EC), LC are the only cells expressing the CD4 antigen and are, therefore, a possible target for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. To date, conflicting results have been reported on the in vivo infection of LC by HIV. The aim of the present study was to investigate the presence of HIV-1 proviral DNA in epidermal LC of HIV-1-infected patients. EC suspensions were prepared from clinically normal skin of nine seropositive patients. Purified LC and LC-depleted EC were obtained by immunomagnetic separation and analyzed for the presence of HIV-1 proviral DNA by the polymerase chain reaction using primer pairs from different conserved regions (env and gag) of the HIV-1 genome. HIV-1 proviral DNA was detected in LC from seven of nine patients. LC-depleted EC fractions from the same nine patients were all negative, with the exception of one case. Altogether these results demonstrate that epidermal LC are infected by HIV-1 and constitute the only resident cell type in the epidermis harboring the virus. Further studies are, however, needed to demonstrate HIV replication in LC and to elucidate the functional role of LC in this infection.
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Jun
pubmed:issn
0022-202X
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:volume
96
pubmed:geneSymbol
env, gag
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
979-82
pubmed:dateRevised
2006-11-15
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
1991
pubmed:articleTitle
Detection of HIV-1 in epidermal Langerhans cells of HIV-infected patients using the polymerase chain reaction.
pubmed:affiliation
Department of Dermatology, University of Modena, Italy.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't