Relationship between V3 sequences of HIV type 1 from plasma, T cells, and dendritic cells suggests that plasma virus may arise from different cell sources.

Nucleotide sequences of HIV-1 from plasma virus RNA and proviral DNA extracted from blood dendritic cells (DCs) and from T cells were analyzed to determine whether blood DCs may harbor a restricted population of virus variants. The sequence of the V3 loop and 51 bases from the 3' flanking region were determined in four patients not receiving antiviral therapy. There was no evidence of a unique or more restricted population of variants in DCs for any of the four patients studied. However, for one patient there was evidence of differences between plasma virus and virus in the T cell population, with virus in the plasma showing a closer relationship to DC-derived sequences.