Reduced HIV-1 infectability of CDd4⁺ lymphocytes from exposed- uninfected individuals: Association with low expression of CCR5 and high production of β-chemokines

We examined the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 infectability of CD4⁺ lymphocytes isolated from CCR5 wild-type individuals, individuals heterozygous for the Δ32 allele of CCR5, and HIV-1-exposed but uninfected (EU) individuals who had CD4⁺ lymphocytes refractory to M-tropic viral replication. None of the EU individuals were found to be heterozygous for the Δ32 allele. The CD4⁺ lymphocytes isolated from CCR5/Δ32 and EU individuals were less infectable with an M-tropic viral isolate of HIV-1 than CCR5/CCR5 control individuals but were equally as infectable with a T-tropic viral isolate. The restriction to M-tropic viral isolate replication did not associate with any profound genotypic change in the CCR5 gene. CD4⁺ lymphocytes from CCR5/Δ32 and CCR5/CCR5 EU individuals were more sensitive to the HIV-inhibitory effects of the recombinant β-chemokines RANTES, MIP- 1α, and MIP-1β than were CD4⁺ lymphocytes from CCR5/CCR5 control individuals. CD4⁺ lymphocytes from EU individuals also showed increased sensitivity to recombinant β-chemokines and low surface expression of CCR5. A phenotype of low CCR5 expression and high secretion of β-chemokines is associated with reduced infectability of cells by M-tropic HIV-1. This phenotype may also be associated with protection against sexual transmission of HIV-1.