Effects of raltegravir on 2-long terminal repeat circle junctions in HIV type 1 viremic and aviremic patients.

ABSTRACT: Although 2-long terminal repeat (2-LTR) circles are only a fraction of the total viral DNA in infected cells, sequence analysis of 2-LTR circles reveals critical information regarding viral DNA synthesis and the nature of actively replicating virus. It was observed that a large proportion of the 2-LTR circular molecules in the peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) DNA of infected individuals are mutated at the circle junction. The integrase inhibitor raltegravir (RAL) blocks the strand transfer step of the integration of HIV-1; as a consequence of abortive integration a significant increase of episomal 2-LTR circles is observed. Moreover, it was demonstrated that in patients treated with highly active retroviral therapy (HAART) changes in 2-LTR concentration did not affect junction sequ

SUBMITTER: Bona R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3785805 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature