TZM-gfp cells: a tractable fluorescent tool for analysis of rare and early HIV-1 infection

Sci Rep. 2020 Nov 16;10(1):19900. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-76422-6.

Abstract

Here we describe TZM-gfp, a novel HIV-1 reporter cell derived from the same parental clone JC.53, used previously to generate the widely-utilized indicator cell line TZM-bl. We re-engineered JC.53 cells to express GFP under regulation of HIV Tat and Rev. We characterize the new reporter cell line to show that TZM-gfp cells are equally susceptible to HIV infection, exhibit minimal background signal, and can report HIV infection in rare cells from a bulk population of experimentally-infected human monocyte-derived macrophages. We demonstrate the utility and sensitivity of the cells in detection of even a single HIV-positive macrophage by fluorescence-assisted correlative electron microscopy, using the GFP signal to guide imaging of HIV virions in primary co-culture. Finally, we used TZM-gfp cells for viral capture during co-culture with human peripheral blood mononuclear cells, showing that TZM-gfp can support outgrowth and analyses of patient-derived primary HIV-1 isolates.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Cells, Cultured
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins / genetics
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins / metabolism*
  • HIV Infections / diagnosis*
  • HIV Infections / virology
  • HIV-1 / isolation & purification*
  • HIV-1 / metabolism
  • HIV-1 / pathogenicity
  • Humans
  • Leukocytes, Mononuclear / virology*
  • Macrophages / virology*
  • Virus Replication*
  • tat Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus / genetics

Substances

  • tat Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins