High frequency of syncytium-inducing and CXCR4-tropic viruses among human immunodeficiency virus type 1 subtype C-infected patients receiving antiretroviral treatment.

ABSTRACT: Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) subtype C viruses have been found to almost exclusively use the chemokine receptor CCR5 as a coreceptor for entry, even in patients with advanced AIDS. We have characterized subtype C virus isolates from 28 patients from Harare, Zimbabwe, 20 of whom were receiving antiretroviral treatment. Virus from 10 of the treated patients induced syncytium formation (SI virus) when cultured with MT2 cells. Only non-syncytium-inducing (NSI) virus was cultured from the peripheral blood mononuclear cells of the eight patients who had not received treatment. The majority of these subtype C SI viruses were capable of using both CCR5 and CXCR4 as coreceptors for viral entry, and the consensus V3 loop sequences from the SI viruses displayed a high net charge compar

SUBMITTER: Johnston ER 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC164829 | biostudies-literature | 2003 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature