Induction of cylindrical confronting cisternae (AIDS inclusions) in Daudi lymphoblastoid cells by recombinant alpha-interferon.

Cylindrical confronting cisternae (CCC), also known as test-tube and ring-shaped forms, are frequently present in the cytoplasm of lymphocytes and occasionally in other cells from patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Recent data indicate that the presence of these cisternae and tubuloreticular structures (TRS) in lymphocytes from patients at risk for AIDS is predictive of the development of this syndrome. CCC are formed by an alteration of the membranes of the rough endoplasmic reticulum, but the mechanism by which they are formed or demonstration of their induction by specific agents has not been previously reported. We cultured Daudi lymphoblastoid cells in medium containing recombinant alpha-interferon and induced the formation of both TRS and CCC. The number of CCC formed in Daudi cells was directly proportional to the concentration of interferon used and the length of culture. CCC were in direct continuity with TRS, which were induced in cells by interferon at an earlier time. The percentage of cell sections containing TRS stayed the same or decreased somewhat after 72 hours of culture, whereas the number of CCC increased. Our results indicate that CCC could be present in various cells from patients with AIDS and other diseases as a result of elevated interferon levels in these conditions.