Susceptibility of human-mouse T cell hybrids to HIV-productive infection

Interspecies human x mouse cell hybrids were used to investigate the genetic basis of human permissivity to HTLV-IIIB infection. T cell hybrids between the mouse BW 51.47 T lymphoma line and normal, PHA-IL-2 activated, human peripheral mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were generated. These hybrids preferentially segregated human chromosomes, as assessed by phenotype and karyotype analysis. Viral integration occurred only in those hybrids expressing CD4+ at the cell surface. However, infectious progeny production was demonstrated only in two of the three CD4+ hybrids tested. By segregation analysis, we could correlate the absence of human chromosomes 1, 3, and 9 with the lack of infectious viral progeny.