title: HIV-1 diversity in Brazil: genetic, biologic, and immunologic characterization of HIV-1 strains in three potential HIV vaccine evaluation sites. Brazilian Network for HIV Isolation and Characterization.
abstract: The Brazilian Network for HIV Isolation and Characterization was established for the surveillance of HIV variability in Brazil. Here, we report characterization of HIV strains and virus-specific immune responses from 35 clinical samples collected from three potential HIV vaccine sites. Three genetic subtypes of HIV-1 were identified by heteroduplex mobility assay (HMA) B (in 82.9% of the samples), F (14.3%), and C (2.9%). Phylogenetic analysis based on the C2V3/env DNA sequence from all 25 specimens examined was 100% concordant with HMA results. Four variants of subtype B with different tetrapeptides at the tip of the V3 loop were found: the GPGR motif (North American), GWGR motif (Brazilian B"), and two minor variants, GFGR and GPGS, as previously detected. No significant association was found between HIV-1 subtypes and the mode of transmission or biologic properties of HIV-1 isolates (derived from 88.6% of the specimens). Only 5 of 16 isolates studied were neutralized by the autologous sera. Consistent with previous results, no relation between viral subtype and peptide enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) seroreactivity or neutralization was evident. This study also demonstrated the effectiveness of the collaborative approach followed by Brazilian scientists when addressing a complex subject such as HIV variability.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Imunologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bongertz
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Bou-Habib
authors.forename: L F
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Brígido
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Caseiro
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Chequer
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Couto-Fernandez
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Galvão-Castro
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Greco
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Guimarães
authors.forename: M I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Linhares de Carvalho
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Morgado
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Osmanov
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Ramos
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rossini
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sabino
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tanuri
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ueda
mesh_terms: D016915:AIDS Vaccines; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D015699:HIV Envelope Protein gp120 / Q000032:analysis; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000032:analysis; D010802:Phylogeny; D012307:Risk Factors; D017421:Sequence Analysis
chemical_list: D016915:AIDS Vaccines; D015699:HIV Envelope Protein gp120; C059762:HIV envelope protein gp120 (305-321); D010446:Peptide Fragments