HIV variability in the liver and evidence of possible compartmentalization.

ABSTRACT: There is growing evidence to suggest that HIV may interact with several hepatic cell types; however, evaluation of HIV variability in liver tissue has not been addressed to date. Among 16 HIV-positive individuals examined, nine (56%) had detectable HIV RNA in the liver. The mean CD4 cell count for these nine individuals was 337 cells/mm(3) (range: 0-601), while their mean plasma HIV RNA level was 106,974 copies/ml (range: 1200-320,740). Among individuals in this study with detectable HIV in both the plasma and the liver, the consensus gag nucleotide sequences for each tissue type were different for seven of seven (100%) individuals, while amino acid sequences were distinct for five of seven (71%). Consensus envelope (env) nucleotide and amino acid sequences were also distinct in the plasma

SUBMITTER: Blackard JT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3186706 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature