title: Phenotypic variations and switches in HIV isolated from the blood and the gastrointestinal tissues of patients with HIV-1 infection. HIV/GI Research Study Group.
abstract: The objective of this study was to determine the initial and subsequent phenotypes of HIV-1 isolated from the blood, duodenal, and colonic biopsies of 51 HIV-1 positive patients followed prospectively over 2 years. Blood and tissues were cocultured with stimulated peripheral blood monocytes, and HIV was analyzed for phenotypic expression of syncytia-induction (SI). A total of 45/51 patients had HIV-1 isolated from the blood and 35/51 had HIV isolated from gastrointestinal tract. In 12/45 patients SI-HIV-1 was isolated from the blood. In 6/12 patients the blood phenotype reverted to the NSI phenotype. SI phenotypes were also isolated from the colon and duodenum of 8/35 patients and reversion from SI to NSI virus phenotype was again observed in gut tissue of 3/8 patients. These results show that gastrointestinal tissues can harbor SI HIV phenotype. Discordant phenotypes can be found in tissue and blood of late-stage patients. Reversion of phenotypic SI expression to NSI may occur in patients receiving monotherapy as antiretroviral treatment. These results suggest that gastrointestinal tissues may act as a separate and distinct site involved in HIV replication and its associated pathogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Kuwait University, Kuwait.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: al-Mulla
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Church
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Gill
mesh_terms: D001706:Biopsy; D016049:Didanosine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004064:Digestive System / Q000821:virology*; D005260:Female; D015726:Giant Cells / Q000821:virology; D006678:HIV / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D019053:HIV Enteropathy / Q000235:genetics / Q000821:virology; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D010641:Phenotype; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018119:Stavudine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019562:Viral Load; D015215:Zidovudine / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D015215:Zidovudine; D018119:Stavudine; D016049:Didanosine