A.I.D.S. virus in bone marrow?

Press, 21 May 1988, Page 7

A.I.D.S. virus in bone marrow?

NZPA-Reuter London Research by United, States scientists indicates that the A.I.D.S. virus probably hides in sane- 1 tuaries in bone marrow, where all new blood cells form, “New Scientist” magazine has said. Tests by scientists led by Thomas Folks, at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious 1 Diseases (N.1.A.1.D.), in Maryland, suggested that some immature or precursor cells in the bone imarrow may form reservoirs for the A.I.D.S. virus, known as human immuno-deficiency virus '(H.I.V.). The presence of the virus in the precursor

cells could explain why H.I.V. was latent for so long, the weekly quoted Folks as saying. He speculated that mature blood cells passing through the bone marrow might either pick up the virus from infected precursor cells or the precursors might mature while still infected, “New Scientist” said. The team’s most surprising finding, the magazine said, was that precursor cells did not possess the so-called CD4 receptor, the protein which scientists had previously believed was essential for the virus to lock on to a cell. Instead they carried another receptor, known as CD34.