The assembly of HIV within the Golgi apparatus and Golgi-derived vesicles of JM cell syncytia.

Chronic infection of the T-lymphocyte cell line JM with HIV-1 isolate GB8 results in the formation of multinucleate cells (syncytia). Transmission electron microscopy of these syncytia showed the presence of HIV particles both at the cell surface and within cytoplasmic vesicles. HIV particles were observed in dilated Golgi cisternae and Golgi-derived vesicles and in large vacuoles near the periphery of the syncytia. Immunolabelling was performed using an affinity-purified antiserum to the Golgi enzyme galactosyltransferase. This enzyme was consistently localized within both the Golgi apparatus and within virus-containing vesicles of JM syncytia, indicating that these vesicles originated from the Golgi apparatus.