Lysis of uninfected HIV-1 gp120-coated peripheral blood-derived T lymphocytes by monocyte-mediated antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity.

Previous reports from our laboratory have demonstrated that peripheral blood monocytes (PBM) from HIV-1 infected individuals are de novo activated and are cytotoxic in vitro. Significant monocyte-antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) was obtained against HIV-1 inactivated CD4+ CEM target cells coated with HIV-1 in the presence of autologous seropositive serum. Based on these findings, we hypothesized that in HIV-seropositive individuals the monocytes may play an important role in vivo in the autodestruction of non-infected CD4+ T lymphocytes. The present study was designed to test this hypothesis. Monocytes from normal donors activated with M-CSF lysed CD4+ T cells (CEM) coated with gp120 sensitized by plasma from asymptomatic HIV-1+ individuals in a 8 h 51Cr release assay. ADCC cytotoxic activity varied from one individual to another and was a function of the dilution of the individual seropositive plasma used. We then used circulating CD3+ T lymphocytes as targets for ADCC following treatment with actinomycin D to facilitate the release of radioactive 51Cr. Like CEM, ADCC was obtained with CD3+ T cells coated with gp120 in the presence of HIV seropositive plasma and monocytes. Lysis was specific as T cells that were not coated with gp120 were not destroyed. These findings demonstrate that activated peripheral blood derived monocytes can destroy non-infected gp120-coated circulating T lymphocytes by an ADCC-mediated mechanism. Thus, these findings suggest that ADCC may be one mechanism operating in vivo for the destruction of non-infected CD4+ T lymphocytes.