title: Intravirion reverse transcripts in the peripheral blood plasma on human immunodeficiency virus type 1-infected individuals.
abstract: Variable levels of viral DNA have been demonstrated within human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) virions purified from cell cultures. In the present studies, it is demonstrated that DNase-resistant viral DNA is associated with HIV-1 virions purified from the peripheral blood plasma of both symptomatic and asymptomatic HIV-1-infected individuals. The differences in viral DNA copy numbers, detected by quantitative PCR in various regions of the HIV-1 genome, indicated that the intravirion HIV-1 DNA is frequently, but perhaps not totally, the result of partial reverse transcription. These in vivo data suggest that it may be valuable to further investigate the impact of virion-associated viral DNA upon the efficiency of intra- and interhost HIV-1 transmission modes.
authors.affiliation: Dorrance H. Hamilton Laboratories, Department of Medicine, Jefferson Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19107.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Bagasra
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Niikura
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Poiesz
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Pomerantz
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000821:virology*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014771:Virion / Q000235:genetics*; D015215:Zidovudine / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D015215:Zidovudine