Risk of HIV-1 transmission by breastfeeding among mothers infected with recombinant and non-recombinant HIV-1 genotypes

BACKGROUND: Viral genotype and intersubtype recombination may influence the rate and/or timing of mother-to-child HIV-1 transmission. METHODS: We determined the HIV-1 subtype of the C2-C5 env and 5'LTR regions from milk and blood samples of 61 Tanzanian mothers who transmitted the virus through breastfeeding and their HIV-1 positive non-transmitting controls. Cases and controls were matched on infant's age at sample collection. All mothers resided in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. RESULTS: Most infections among cases were due to recombinant viruses (41.0%), followed by HIV-1 subtype A (26.2%), subtype D (19.7%), and subtype C (13.1%). In multivariate analysis including maternal CD4+ cell counts, HIV disease stage, and proviral load in breast milk, the odds of breast milk transmission were 7.2 times higher if the mother carried an intersubtype recombinant genome in comparison to a subtype C virus (p=0.02). Viruses with recombinant LTRs were 4.9 times more likely to be transmitted through breastfeeding than viruses with non-recombinant LTRs of subtype A, C or D combined (p=0.01). CONCLUSIONS: This suggested that intersubtype recombinant genomes, and especially recombination within the LTR, might render HIV-1 more fit for transmission via breast milk in comparison with non-recombinant subtypes A, C, and D.     

Identification of a novel HIV-1 circulating ADG intersubtype recombinant form (CRF19_cpx) in Cuba

Circulating recombinant forms (CRFs) represent a substantial proportion of HIV-1 isolates in the global pandemic. Characterization of HIV-1 genetic forms, including CRFs, may be relevant to studies on molecular epidemiology, recombination, superinfection, vaccine development, and antiretroviral therapy. This study analyzes near complete genomes of 4 epidemiologically unlinked viruses from Cuba, originally characterized as D/A intersubtype recombinants in pol and env segments. The genomes of 3 viruses exhibited virtually coincident mosaic structures, with multiple segments of subtypes A, D, and G and uniform phylogenetic clustering with each other along the genome. These results allow us to define a new CRF (CRF19_cpx). The 4th analyzed Cuban virus was recombinant between CRF19_cpx and CRF18_cpx (which also circulates in Cuba). CRF19_cpx exhibited homology to an AG intersubtype recombinant virus from Cameroon (CM53392) along approximately 5 kb and clustered with a subtype D virus from Gabon (G109) in gag. Four other viruses from central or west Africa were also phylogenetically related to CRF19_cpx in env fragments. These results allow us to define CRF19_cpx as a second novel CRF of African origin circulating in Cuba, to identify putative representative viruses of its parental strains, and to characterize a unique CRF18/CRF19 recombinant virus.     

HIV-1 subtypes and circulating recombinant forms (CRFs) from HIV-infected patients residing in two regions of central and southern Italy

A total of 347 pol gene sequences from 88 Tuscan and 259 Apulian subjects (including 52 non-Italians and 9 children) were analyzed phylogenetically. Forty-four (12.6%) non-B subtypes were found, including 3.4% C, 1.4% F1, 0.8% G, and 0.3% each for J and A pure subtypes, and 3.7% CRF02_AG, 1.4% CRF01_AE, 0.6% BF, and 0.3% CRF06-cpx recombinant forms. An additional sample close-matched the pol gene of an unique recombinant form (URF AGK 99GR303). The non-B subtypes were from 40 adults and 4 children; 12 of these 44 patients were epidemiologically linked. Thirty-three of the 44 non-B viruses pertained to non-Italian immigrants and 11 to Italians, signifying that 63.4% immigrants and 3.7% Italians harbored non-B subtypes. The overall frequency of non-B subtypes was higher in Tuscany than in Apulia (18.1% vs. 10.8%). Moreover, 6.1% and 3.0% non-B subtypes were found among Italians from Florence and Apulia, respectively, while 52.1% and 72.4% of immigrants living in Tuscany and Apulia harbored non-B subtypes. Women infected by means of sexual contact prevailed among non-Italian adults; the majority of Italians were males and admitted high-risk sexual behavior. Four Italians had a history of extensive travel in countries of high endemicity. Social and epidemiological changes are responsible for an increasing circulation of non-B subtypes in Italy. Although non-B subtypes principally infect non-Italian patients, in Italy they can no longer be considered exclusively restricted to subjects from endemic areas.     

高效表达重组HIV-1 gp41及在尿液检测中的应用

目的 应用优化的HIV-1 gp41基因,通过原核表达得到高纯度的重组HIV-1 gp41抗原,制备基于重组gp41抗原的尿液HIV-1抗体检测试剂盒,并评价此试剂盒在尿液抗体检测中的灵敏度和特异性.方法 将编码HIV-1B亚型gp41主要抗原表位的基因插入到原核表达载体pET22b中,构建表达质粒pET22b-mgp41.将表达质粒转化B121(DE3)后经IPTG诱导其表达重组抗原rgp41.重组抗原经镍离子亲和层析和分子筛层析得到纯化.将纯化后重组抗原包被ELISA板,对4796份正常人群尿液、641份HIV-1抗体阳件感染者尿液进行HIV-1抗体检测.结果重组抗原经纯化后纯度95%.用本实验中制备的HIV-1抗体尿液检测试剂盒的检测结果显示,此试剂盒灵敏度为100%,特异性为98.52%.结论 本研究中制备的HIV-1尿液诊断试剂盒可以满足HIV感染者初筛实验的需要.     

含中国流行株HIV—1Gag—gp120融合蛋白的重组鸡痘病毒的构建

目的用重组鸡痘病毒表达中国流行株HIV-1Gag-gp120融合蛋白.方法在以鸡痘病毒282E4株为基础构建的重组表达质粒pUTAL的ATI-P7.5复合启动子下游,插入编码中国流行株HIV-1Gag-gp120嵌合基因,构建了重组表达质粒pUTALGP.重组质粒与FPV共转染CEF细胞,进行了同源重组.通过PUdR加压筛选,X-gal染色,获得重组鸡痘病毒vUTALGP.结果经Westernblot检测表明,重组病毒表达了Gap-gp120融合蛋白,其分子量分别为110×103、69×103、48×103、24×103.电镜观察可见Gag蛋白在CEF细胞中形成的反转录病毒样粒子.重组病毒免疫小鼠,能够诱导HIV-1特异的血清抗体反应.结论重组鸡痘病毒成功的表达了Gag-gp120融合蛋白,并进行了正确的加工.     

HIV-1 resistance to the anti-HIV activity of a shRNA targeting a dual-coding region

We generated a lymphoid cell line (Sup-T1-Rev/Env) that stably expresses a 19-bp short hairpin RNA (shRNA) targeting a conserved region of HIV-1 encoding for the Envelope and Rev proteins, which potently inhibited viral replication. However, continuous passage of HIV-1 in Sup-T1-Rev/Env generated virus mutants able to overcome the RNAi restriction. Sequence analysis of the emerging viruses showed that mutations were located at positions 5 and 17 of the target sequence. Both mutations are silent in the Env frame, but the mutation 5 generated an amino acid change (V47M) in the Rev reading frame. We have analyzed the impact of these two mutations on the RNAi mechanism, showing a more crucial role of the mutation 17 in the resistance to RNAi. We show that even targeting a conserved region of the HIV-1 genome involved in the biosynthesis of two essential genes, env and rev, the virus could evolve to escape by single point mutations in the target sequence, without a significant fitness cost.     

Genetic characterization of an isolate of HIV type 1 AG recombinant form circulating in Siberia, Russia

Before 2008, HIV-1 subtype A was the predominant genetic variant in the Novosibirsk oblast of Russia as well as in most parts of this country. However, a rapid spread of the recombinant HIV-1 02_AG form has been reported in Novosibirsk since 2009. We have analyzed the genome of the 10.RU.6637 isolate, a HIV-1 02_AG recombinant form, which represents a monophyletic cluster of the HIV-1 variants widespread in this region. Phylogenetic analysis has shown that the Siberian 10.RU.6637 isolate displays the highest sequence identity to the HIV-1 subtype AG forms circulating in Uzbekistan. However, recombination analysis of 10.RU.6637 has demonstrated that this isolate is a recombinant form between HIV-1 subtype A and CRF02_AG, differing in its genetic structure from both the CRF02_AG reference sequences and the Central Asian variants of HIV-1 02_AG.     

HIV-1核心蛋白p24在大肠杆菌中的表达与纯化

探索进一步提高ＨＩＶ－１Ｐ２４ｇａｇ蛋白在大肠杆菌中的表达效率,增加产物的纯化手段。方法：通过改造原核表达载体ＰＢＶ２２０和ｐＥＴ２８,构建了一种通用型温控原核表达载体ｐＶＶ５,将ＨＩＶ－１ｇａｇ基因的１１４８－１８５７编码序列,插入到ｐＶＶ５ｂ和ｐＥＴ２８ｂ的相应位点中,构建了重组表达质粒,ｐＥＧ１ｂ和ｐＥＧ７ｂ,转化到大肠杆菌中进行表达,产物利用ＩＭＡＣ金属螯合层析柱进行纯经,纯化的表达产物用     

Identification of 3 phylogenetically related HIV-1 BG intersubtype circulating recombinant forms in Cuba

BG intersubtype recombinants represented 11.6% of HIV-1 isolates in a recent survey in Cuba based on pol sequences, most of them forming a single clade further subdivided into 3 subclades. Here, we analyze 8 near full-length genomes and 1 gag-pol sequence from epidemiologically unlinked Cuban BG recombinants from these 3 subclades (3 from each). Near full-length sequences were also obtained from 3 subtype G and 2 subtype B Cuban viruses. Phylogenetic relationships were estimated via maximum likelihood, and mosaic structures of the recombinants were inferred with the bootscanning, MaxChi, Genconv, and GARD methods. For the near full-length genomes, all recombinants formed a strongly supported clade further subdivided into the same subclades previously defined in pol. Mosaic structures were identical within each subclade and different among subclades, although 5 breakpoints were coincident among all recombinants. Individual phylogenetic trees for nonrecombinant fragments (concatenated B and G subtype segments) indicated a common ancestry for the parental viruses and their relationships to local subtype B and G strains. These results allow us to identify 3 new BG intersubtype circulating recombinant forms in Cuba derived from a common recombinant ancestor, which originated from B and G subtype parental strains circulating in Cuba.     

Mu-opioid modulation of HIV-1 coreceptor expression and HIV-1 replication

A substantial proportion of HIV-1-infected individuals are intravenous drug users (i.v.DUs) who abuse opiates. Opioids induce a number of immunomodulatory effects that may directly influence HIV-1 disease progression. In the present report, we have investigated the effect of opioids on the expression of the major HIV-1 coreceptors CXCR4 and CCR5. For these studies we have focused on opiates which are ligands for the mu-opioid receptor. Our results show that DAMGO, a selective mu-opioid agonist, increases CXCR4 and CCR5 expression in both CD3(+) lymphoblasts and CD14(+) monocytes three- to fivefold. Furthermore, DAMGO-induced elevation of HIV-1 coreceptor expression translates into enhanced replication of both X4 and R5 viral strains of HIV-1. We have confirmed the role of the mu-opioid receptor based on the ability of a mu-opioid receptor-selective antagonist to block the effects of DAMGO. We have also found that morphine enhances CXCR4 and CCR5 expression and subsequently increases both X4 and R5 HIV-1 infection. We suggest that the capacity of mu-opioids to increase HIV-1 coreceptor expression and replication may promote viral binding, trafficking of HIV-1-infected cells, and enhanced disease progression.     

Reanalysis of the HIV-1 circulating recombinant form A/E (CRF01_AE): evidence of A/E/G recombination

Circulating recombinant form (CRF) 01_AE caused an extensive HIV-1 epidemic in Thailand and Southeast Asia. Reanalysis of the recombination pattern of CRF01_AE suggested a more complicated pattern of mosaicism consisting of subtypes A, G, and E. These findings provide evidence that CRF01_AE originated from recombination between at least three different subtypes.     

Underevaluation of HIV-1 plasma viral load by a commercially available assay in a cluster of patients infected with HIV-1 A/G circulating recombinant form (CRF02)

The authors studied the correlation and agreement of commercially available assays in detection and quantification of the HIV-1 intersubtype A/G circulating recombinant form CRF02. The assays under comparison were Bayer Versant HIV-1 RNA, version 3.0; Roche Amplicor HIV-1 Monitor, version 1.5 (standard procedure); and Organon Teknika NucliSens HIV-1 RNA QT. Plasma samples from 114 patients infected with CRF02 were tested by the three assays under standard conditions. Although correlation among the assays was high and statistically significant for subtype B and CRF02, in the latter instance, NucliSens measured average viral load values (3.29 +/- 0.71 log(10) copies/mL) about 4 and >8 times lower than those obtained by Versant (3.90 +/- 0.90 log(10) copies/mL) and Amplicor (4.22 +/- 1.05 log(10) copies/mL), respectively. Furthermore, in a statistically significant percentage of CRF02-harboring samples, NucliSens produced viral load values undetectable or 1 log(10) lower than those obtained in Versant and Amplicor assays. Altogether, these data underline a low performance of NucliSens in detecting and quantifying viremia in plasma samples harboring the CRF02. These results are potentially important as global distribution of new HIV-1 subtypes is expanding, and recombinant strains, particularly CRF02, are emerging and becoming highly prevalent.     

Identification of a newly characterized HIV-1 BG intersubtype circulating recombinant form in Galicia, Spain, which exhibits a pseudotype-like virion structure

We recently reported the finding of phylogenetically related HIV-1 BG intersubtype recombinant and G subtype nonrecombinant viruses circulating among injecting drug users in the region of Galicia in northwestern Spain. Here, we report the characterization of near full-length genome sequences of nine of these viruses (seven BG recombinant and two of nonrecombinant G subtype), obtained from epidemiologically unlinked individuals. Bootscan analysis reveals that six recombinant viruses share an identical mosaic structure, with two intersubtype breakpoints delimiting a B subtype segment comprising most of Env gp120 and the external portion of Env gp41, with the remaining portions of the genome being of subtype G, thus mimicking a pseudotype virion structure. The seventh BG recombinant virus exhibits breakpoints in env coincident with the other BG viruses but contains additional B subtype segments in gag and pol. In phylogenetic trees of complete genomes and of the B subtype segment of env, all seven BG viruses group in a monophyletic cluster. G subtype portions of the BG viruses group uniformly with the newly derived nonrecombinant G subtype viruses of Galicia in bootscan analysis, which points to the locally circulating G subtype strain as parental of the recombinants. These results allow us to define a new HIV-1 circulating recombinant form (CRF14_BG), the first reported to originate in Western Europe.     

共表达HIV-1 gag-gp120与白细胞介素6重组鸡痘病毒的筛选

目的构建共表达中国株HIV1gaggp120与白细胞介素6(IL6)的重组鸡痘病毒(FPV)。方法分别将HIV1gaggp120基因和IL6基因插入到FPV表达质粒pUTAL复合启动子和单一启动子下游,构建重组FPV表达质粒pUTAGEIL6。利用脂质体法将重组质粒和FPV282E4株共转染鸡胚成纤维细胞,经BUdR加压筛选,重组病毒分别用SDSPAGE和WesternBolt进行鉴定,观察病毒样粒子的形成和重组病毒在哺乳动物细胞中的表达,并分析其免疫原性。结果阳性重组病毒基因组点膜处有显色斑点,WesternBolt结果显示重组病毒表达了gaggp120嵌合蛋白和IL6,在病毒感染细胞中有反转录病毒样粒子形成,且重组病毒可在哺乳动物细胞中表达目的蛋白。小鼠免疫指标检测表明该重组病毒具有很好的免疫原性。结论成功构建了共表达中国株HIV1gaggp120与IL6的重组FPV,为HIV-1基因工程活载体疫苗和巨分子颗粒化疫苗的制备奠定了基础。     

The first B/G intersubtype recombinant form of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) identified in Germany was undetected or underquantitated by some commercial viral load assays

The high level of genetic diversity of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and the continual emergence of recombinant forms have important implications not only for the global evolution of HIV but also for diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment strategies. The present study reports the first intersubtype B/G recombinant strain of HIV-1 in Germany. This strain is notable from a clinical perspective, since it was undetectable in the NucliSens HIV-1 QT assay (Organon Tecknika/bioMérieux) and was significantly underquantitated in the Monitor v1.5 test (Roche Molecular Systems) relative to the LCx HIV RNA Quantitative assay (Abbott Laboratories). Gag-encoded p24 (gag p24), pol-encoded integrase (pol IN), and env-encoded gp41 (env gp41) immunodominant region (IDR) sequences were characterized to establish group and subtype designation and to evaluate the degree of genetic diversity at primer and probe binding sites of the viral load assays. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that this virus is an intersubtype B/G recombinant strain. The gag p24 region is subtype G, env gp41 IDR is subtype B, and pol IN is a B/G chimera. Nucleotide mismatches within primer and probe-binding sites provided the molecular basis for differences in quantitation observed between viral load assays. Genetic diversity of HIV-1 continues to challenge the reliability of detection and quantitation by viral load assays.     

HIV-1B／C重组病毒感染者Gag特异性T淋巴细胞免疫应答的研究

目的研究中国主要流行的HIV-1B／C重组毒株感染者Gag特异性T淋巴细胞反应特征。方法本研究以10例感染时间〈1年和25例感染时间〉3年未接受抗病毒治疗的HIV-1B／C重组毒株感染者为研究对象,以10例HIV．1阴性健康人作为对照,用Elispot方法检测其针对HIV-1B／C同义BGag重叠多肽产生1干扰素的特异性T淋巴细胞反应。结果8例（8／10）感染时间〈1年的HIV-1B／C重组毒株感染者产生Gag特异性分泌Y干扰素的T淋巴细胞反应,主要识别散在分布的五条多肽;17例（68％）感染时间〉3年的感染者产生反应,主要识别p17区域内的-条和p24区域内六条多肽。感染时间〉3年组产生IFN-吖的特异性T淋巴细胞反应强度与病毒载量呈明显正相关（P=0．0318,r=0．519）,感染时间〈1年的感染者反应强度明显高于感染时间〉3年的感染者（P=0．021）。健康人对照组无阳性反应。结论HIV-1B／C重组病毒感染者在疾病进程不同阶段识别Gag的不同区域。