HUMAN-IMMUNODEFICIENCY-VIRUS TYPE-1 PRODUCTIVE INFECTION IN STAUROSPORINE-BLOCKED QUIESCENT CELLS

Staurosporine, an antibiotic known to inhibit cellular protein kinases, can reversibly block the progress of normal and tumour cells into the cell cycle. The ability of HIV-1 to infect and replicate in cells blocked by staurosporine was investigated. The results show that blocked, non-cycling cells can be productively infected by HIV-1, steadily releasing infectious progeny virus for several weeks. This suggests that at least in some cases. HIV-1 can be found in a stable and active state in resting, non-proliferating T cells.