2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-P-dioxin as a possible activator of HIV infection.

The effects of 10-150 nM 2,3,7,8-TCDD on the HIV infection in the various lymphoid cell cultures have been studied. The level of reproduction of HIV was examined by determination of virus antigen as well as by measurement of reverse trascriptase activity. 2,3,7,8-TCDD does not exert any toxic influence in this concentration on the MT-4 cells and causes the induction of cytochrome P-450-containing monooxygenase. Furthermore, in MT-4 cell culture infected by HIV-1 virus an increase of virus production after a treatment of cells with 2,3,7,8-TCDD has been revealed.