title: Quantitative detection of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) RNA by PCR and use as a prognostic marker and for evaluating antiretroviral therapy.
abstract: The amount of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) genomic RNA in sera is considered to be one of the most direct markers for patient prognosis and monitoring the efficacy of antiretroviral therapy. Quantitative detection of HIV-1 RNA was performed by the dilution endpoint method and competitive PCR. Conditions for detecting one copy of HIV-1 control DNA were examined to decide the dilution endpoint exactly. PCR of the gag region by SK145/SK39 primer pair and seminested PCR by SK145/SK101 primer pair gave the best result. Conditions for competitive PCR of HIV-1 cDNA, which was reverse transcripted from HIV-1 control RNA, were also studied using a SK38/SK39 primer pair in the presence of HIV-PCR MIMIC as a competitor DNA. The detection limit of HIV-1 control DNA by competitive PCR was 10 copies but that of HIV-1 control RNA was 50 copies. Time-course quantitation of HIV-1 RNA in frozen-stored sera from an AIDS patient was carried out and traced back to 1993. The amount of serum HIV-1 RNA markedly decreased when the treatment was changed but increased again before deterioration of his clinical status. It is considered that the quantitation of serum HIV-1 RNA is useful for the prognosis of HIV-infection and the evaluation of the antiretroviral therapy.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Environmental Microbiology, Institute for Environmental Sciences, University of Shizuoka, Yada, Japan.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Naitou
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mimaya
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Horikoshi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Morita
mesh_terms: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D006467:Hemophilia A / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011379:Prognosis; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D012367:RNA, Viral; D004247:DNA