A Novel HIV-1 Nef Mutation in a Primary Pediatric Isolate Impairs MHC-Class I Downregulation and Cytopathicity.

ABSTRACT: HIV-1-induced cytopathicity of thymocytes is a major cause of reduced peripheral T cells and rapid disease progression observed in HIV-1-infected infants. Understanding the virulence factors responsible for thymocyte depletion has paramount importance in addressing the pathogenesis of disease progression in children. In this study, thymocyte depletion was analyzed following infection with two primary CXCR4-tropic HIV-1 pediatric isolates (PI), PI-2 and PI-2.1, which were serially derived from an in utero-infected infant. Although highly similar to each other, PI-2 showed markedly decreased thymocyte depletion in vitro compared with PI-2.1. Further analysis showed a novel deletion in the Nef protein (NefΔK7S) of PI-2, which was absent in PI-2.1. This deletion inhibited Nef-med

SUBMITTER: Ali A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7044772 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature