title: Short-term stability of HIV provirus levels in the peripheral blood of HIV-infected individuals.
abstract: Changes in viral load have been reported to reflect disease progression or response to therapy; however, the stability of HIV DNA levels in HIV-infected individuals has not been extensively studied. Cellular HIV DNA levels in infected individuals were evaluated over a short time period to determine degree of variability as well as any correlation with other measurements of virus load or immune status. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were obtained several times over 1 month from 32 asymptomatic or symptomatic non-AIDS, HIV-infected individuals currently on AZT therapy. PCR amplification of the HIV gag region was performed with DNA from PBMC lysates and the PCR amplified products quantitated by liquid phase hybridization. HIV DNA levels in the majority of the patients were relatively stable, with 26 of 32 persons having less than threefold change. Changes over the study period were both positive and negative, and the median change in HIV DNA levels was 68.6%. These changes were found to positively correlate with fluctuations in plasma p24 levels. In contrast, no correlations were found with other measurements of immune system activity, including changes in CD4 number, CD4 percent, and beta 2-microglobulin when compared with provirus changes. This study shows that levels of HIV DNA can be relatively stable over short periods in most non-AIDS, HIV-infected persons.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology/Microbiology, Rush Presbyterian St. Luke's Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.
authors.forename: D B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Paul
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Kuhns
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: McNamara
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Pottage
authors.forename: G T
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: Spear
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D017931:DNA Primers; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000302:isolation & purification; D018450:Disease Progression; D016655:HIV Core Protein p24 / Q000097:blood; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000821:virology*; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000821:virology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000821:virology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011533:Proviruses / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D013997:Time Factors; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D004279:DNA, Viral; D016655:HIV Core Protein p24; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin