title: Reactivity and amplification efficiency of the NASBA HIV-1 RNA amplification system with regard to different HIV-1 subtypes.
abstract: In view of the genetic diversity of the human immunodeficiency virus Type 1, we assessed the sensitivity and quantification efficiency of the HIV-1 RNA NASBA amplification system with respect to different HIV-1 subtypes and recombinants. Twenty cell culture supernatants representing 17 HIV-1 group M and 3 group O strains were tested, and NASBA RNA loads were compared with results obtained with a RT-PCR based HIV-1 RNA quantitation method, with p24-antigen concentrations and with the infective dose. The current HIV-1 RNA NASBA seemed suitable to quantitate representatives of different HIV-1 M subtypes. Differences between NASBA and RT-PCR loads were observed for certain HIV-1 M strains. Significantly lower RT-PCR loads were measured for most gag A, gag B and gag F strains, whereas NASBA detected lower copy numbers in 1 gag H strain and 1 gag H/env G recombinant. NASBA was not able to quantify 1 HIV-1 group M recombinant. Some of these differences could be explained by the presence and position of mismatches with primers. HIV-1 group O strains were not detectable by both RNA amplification methods. A firm correlation was not observed between the measured RNA loads and either the p24-antigen concentration or the infective dose.
authors.affiliation: Organon Teknika, Turnhout, Belgium.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gobbers
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fransen
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Oosterlaken
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Janssens
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Heyndrickx
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ivens
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Vereecken
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schoones
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: van de Wiel
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: van der Groen
mesh_terms: D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D021141:Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral