title: High frequency of the GWG (Pro Trp) envelope variant of HIV-1 in Southeast Brazil.
abstract: The HIV-1 variant that contains the GWG amino acid sequence in the crown of the principal neutralizing determinant (PND) has been detected in a few patients in Japan, France, and Brazil by direct sequencing. We describe for the first time the use of restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) and limited DNA sequencing of the C2-V3 region of the HIV-1 envelope (env) gene to determine the prevalence of the variant in 75 HIV-1-infected Brazilian patients. Overall prevalence of the GWG sequence as indicated by RFLP was 57% (43 of 75). The prevalence in females (72%) was higher than that in males (32%) and newborns (40%). Two GFG sequences and 1 GLG sequence were also detected. This finding is relevant for the planning of vaccines and for studies of the epidemiology of HIV-1 in Brazil.
authors.affiliation: Regional Blood Center of Ribeirão Preto, and Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Brazil. dimas@fmrp.usp.br
authors.forename: D T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Covas
authors.forename: T A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Bíscaro
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kashima
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Duarte
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Machado
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood / Q000737:chemistry; D015252:Deoxyribonucleases, Type II Site-Specific; D005260:Female; D015699:HIV Envelope Protein gp120 / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics; D020010:Heterosexuality; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D010802:Phylogeny; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D015995:Prevalence; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000150:complications
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D015699:HIV Envelope Protein gp120; C059762:HIV envelope protein gp120 (305-321); D010446:Peptide Fragments; C035042:endodeoxyribonuclease FokI; D015252:Deoxyribonucleases, Type II Site-Specific