Changed activation of HIV-1 LTR in monocytoid cells by mycobacteria with temporal progression of infection.

Coincubation of monocytoid cell line U937 cells cotransfected with HIV-1 LTR CAT plasmid and Tat expression plasmid, with Mycobacterium smegmatis, M. avium, M. bovis BCG and M. tuberculosis enhanced chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) production, indicating that these mycobacteria could activate the LTR in this cell line. The amount of CAT in the cells coincubated with M. smegmatis was higher than that infected with the other mycobacteria after 12, 24 and 48 hour time periods. However, the amount of CAT production in the cells cocultured with M. tuberculosis was higher than those coincubated with the other mycobacteria at 72 hours. These findings indicated that avirulent mycobacteria such as M. smegmatis may activate HIV replication at an early time and its effects are gradually decreased, while the effect of virulent M. tuberculosis increased gradually, and lasted for a long time resulting in an acceleration of HIV disease in patients.