title: Analysis of peripheral blood lymphocytes of AIDS and high-risk patients for human cytomegalovirus transforming DNA sequences.
abstract: Investigation into the presence of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) transforming mtrII and mtrIII sequences in peripheral blood lymphocyte (PBL) specimens of AIDS and high-risk patients was carried out by nucleic acid hybridization analyses. These probes were selected because they were viral-specific and lacked homology to normal cellular DNAs. In Southern blot hybridizations carried out under stringent conditions, we detected HCMV mtrII sequences associated with the high-molecular-weight DNAs of PBLs in 17 of 37 patients either with AIDS/Kaposi's sarcoma or at high risk for AIDS. In comparison, only 2 of 17 DNA specimens from PBLs of healthy blood donors showed hybridization to mtrII sequences. The inability to detect hybridization to the mtrIII region in most mtrII-positive specimens suggested a specific retention of mtrII sequences. Our study suggests that the retention of mtrII sequences in high molecular weight DNA may constitute a risk factor for the development/progression of AIDS. Alternatively, the retention of mtrII sequences may occur as a result of enhanced HCMV replication in patients with AIDS or at high risk for AIDS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, D.C. 20007.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Razzaque
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Peters
authors.forename: E P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Gelmann
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Sheridan
authors.forename: L J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Rosenthal
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000382:microbiology*; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000032:analysis*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D006467:Hemophilia A / Q000150:complications / Q000382:microbiology; D006716:Homosexuality; D006801:Humans; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000382:microbiology; D008297:Male; D015183:Restriction Mapping; D012307:Risk Factors; D012514:Sarcoma, Kaposi / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology; D014170:Transformation, Genetic
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral