HIV-1 proviral DNA copy number in peripheral blood leucocytes and bronchoalveolar lavage cells of AIDS patients

SUMMARY In this study we have determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) the quantity of HIV-1 proviral DNA in cells obtained by bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) from the lung of HIV-1+ individuals. This has been compared quantitatively with the proviral DNA in peripheral blood leucocytes (PBL) obtained simultaneously from the same patients. The mean HIV DNA copy number per 106 cells was 391 for PBL, with a range of 1–9000, and 2971 for BAL cells, with a range of < 1–70000. The quantity of HIV DNA detected in BAL cells was higher than that detected in the corresponding PBL samples in 44 out of 78 (56%) individuals, whilst more HIV DNA was detected in the PBL compared with BAL cells in 14 out of 78 (18%) patients. In both BAL and PBL higher levels of HIV DNA were detected in the adherent (monocyte/macrophage) enriched cell populations compared with other non-adherent cells (leucocytes). A direct relationship between HIV DNA copy number and ability to recover infectious HIV progeny in vitro by cultivation with cord blood leucocytes was found for both PBL and BAL cells. Individuals known to be receiving azidothymidine treatment had a lower mean HIV DNA load in all cell fractions compared with those patients on no antiretroviral therapy.