HIV-1 ISOLATES FROM CHILDREN WITH OR WITHOUT AIDS HAVE SIMILAR IN-VITRO BIOLOGIC PROPERTIES

Objective: To compare biologic properties of HIV-1 isolates from children with and without AIDS as a measure of viral cytopathogenicity. Patients and participants: Virus isolates from peripheral blood mononuclear cells of 13 perinatally infected children were compared for specific in vitro biologic properties. Methods: Virus isolates were examined for biologic properties as measured by their ability to infect H9 cells and to induce syncytia in susceptible cells. Results: Most of the pediatric HIV-1 isolates failed to infect CD4+ H9 cells and induce syncytia in susceptible cells, regardless of whether they were from children with or without AIDS. All of the isolates, however, grew well in mitogen-stimulated normal adult lymphocytes. These results are in contrast to those with HIV-1 isolates from adults, whose biologic properties were related to the stages of the disease. Conclusions: These results indicate that, unlike adult HIV-1 isolates, the biologic properties of pediatric isolates are not related to the stages of the disease. The rapid development of disease in children may therefore be due to factors other than intrinsic properties of HIV-1 strains present in children.