In vivo dynamics of HIV-1 pol and gag sequences in individuals infected with heterogeneous BF recombinant viral populations

C.E. ESPADA; D. PUGLIESE; J. BENETUCCI; L. MARTÍNEZ PERALTA; M. CAROBENE.

Roma

Congreso; 6th IAS CONFERENCE ON HIV PATHOGENESIS, TREATMENT AND PREVENTION, Roma, Italia, 17-20 de Julio de 2011.; 2011

International AIDS Society

Background:HIV-1 epidemic is moving towards an increasing complexity and prevalence of recombinant forms, which might exhibit variable biological behaviors than their parental. The objective of this work was to study the viral population evolution in subjects infected whether with BF recombinants or pure subtype B strains. Methods: Informed consents and sequential blood samples (S1, S2) were obtained from a cohort of HIV+ individuals with high risk behaviors. Partial proviral gag and pol regions were PCR-amplified, cloned and sequenced. Phylogenetic and bootscanning analysis were performed by Neighbor-joining and Simplot. HLA class I typing and Gag epitopes analysis were performed. Results: 5 subjects infected with BF recombinants (M1-M5) and 2 with subtype B (M6, M7), determined by pol sequencing, were studied. M2, M3, M4 and M5 pol regions showed CRF12BF-like recombinant patterns, while M1 was different. Those patterns remained unchanged and S1 and S2 sequences intermingled in the NJ tree. All PR sequences were subtype F. In M1, M2 and M3 subtype B, F and/or BF gag sequences were found in S1 with only subtype F in S2. M4 and M5 samples showed subtype F gag sequences. Pr55Gag residues between positions 373-385 (HXB2) of the F sequences from M1- M5 were similar and not shared with subtype B gag sequences from M6 and M7. No significant changes were observed in Gag epitopes between S1 and S2, in all subjects. Conclusion: Here we describe for the first time the in vivo viral dynamics, at the level of pol and gag genes, in subjects infected with heterogeneous BF recombinant viral population, providing in vivo evidence of the relationship between viral subtypes and functionally related genomic regions. This underscores the relevance of information on natural variation and evolution, in the epidemiological context, and its impact on the development of new antiretroviral agents and vaccines.