Restriction of HIV-1 replication in intestinal cells is genetically controlled by the gag-pol region of the HIV-1 genome.

The human colon epithelial line HT29 represents a semipermisive cellular system for human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). It could be productively infected with HIV-1 NDK, a Zairian virus isolate highly cytopathic for CD4 positive lymphocytes, whereas infection with the prototype virus HIV-1 LAV was nonproductive. Recombinant viruses derived from HIV-1 LAV and HIV-1 NDK were used to determine the genetic control, step of virus/cell cycle, and molecular mechanism responsible for productive versus nonproductive infection of intestinal cells. Both parental viruses and all recombinants retrotranscribed their genomes with a similar kinetics and were able to complete HIV-1 DNA synthesis, HIV-1 LAV provirus present in preintegration complexes could be rescued by cocultivation with T-lymphocytes. However, it was aborted during prolonged cultivation of HT29 cells. Our results suggest that (i) gag/pol region of HIV-1 genome (fragment BssHII255-EcoRI4183) genetically controlled productive infection of intestinal cells and that (ii) the difference between productive and abortive infection occurred before synthesis of HIV-1 mRNA, at the integration level.