Quantification of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 tat mRNA as a marker for assessing the efficacy of antiretroviral therapy.
To evaluate the use of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) tat mRNA quantification as a marker for antiretroviral therapy, 10 zidovudine-naive, p24 antibody-positive subjects (Centers for Disease Control classes III and IV) were studied at the start of zidovudine treatment. HIV-1 proviral DNA content and tat mRNA levels were monitored for 20 weeks from the initiation of therapy. Levels of tat mRNA were quantified using an engineered tat cRNA internal control under conditions of linear amplification. Proviral DNA levels increased in 2 patients and decreased in 8 during 20 weeks of therapy. In each case, tat mRNA levels exhibited similar but much more pronounced changes. Results indicate that quantitative measurement of tat mRNA levels is extremely useful for monitoring antiretroviral therapy.
Furtado
M R
MR
Department of Medicine, Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago, Illinois 60611.
Murphy
R
R
Wolinsky
S M
SM
D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D015696:Gene Products, tat / Q000235:genetics*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D011533:Proviruses / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis*; D015215:Zidovudine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D054322:tat Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus
D004279:DNA, Viral; D015696:Gene Products, tat; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D054322:tat Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus; D015215:Zidovudine