Tropism for primary monocytes and for monocytoid cell lines are separate features of HIV-1 variants.

We have analyzed the phenotype of five human monocytoid cell lines (U-937, THP-1, RC.2A, Mono Mac 6, and DD) and their capacity to support replication of HIV-1 strains with known tropism for T lymphocytes and mononuclear phagocytes. HIV-1 Ba-L, a prototype monocytotropic HIV-1 strain, was unable to establish continuous replication in any of the cell lines used. In contrast, the lymphotropic strain IIIB could replicate in all CD4-positive cell lines. We conclude that the capacity of HIV-1 isolates to replicate in established human monocytoid malignant cells does not correlate with the tropism of the virus for primary mononuclear phagocytes. Since monocytoid cell lines do not distinguish HIV-1 variants tropic for mononuclear phagocytes, we suggest the use of primary cells for studies of HIV-1 tropism.