Significant reduction in HIV-1 plasma viral load but not in proviral infected cells during sub-optimal antiretroviral therapy.
Attempts to eradicate HIV infection through highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in the very early stages of the infection have failed due to the resumption of viral replication from unknown reservoirs. It has been postulated that antiretroviral therapy capable of suppressing viral replication, as shown by reduction of HIV-RNA copies in plasma and lymph nodes, should have less effect on the number of HIV-DNA carrying cells in the same districts. To test this hypothesis, plasma viremia and the proportion of provirally infected cells in peripheral blood and in lymph nodes were measured in patients at 3 and 6 months of treatment with zidovudine plus lamivudine. All patients showed a significant decrease in plasma viremia at 3 months that was maintained at 6 months (mean values of 1.6 +/- 0.6 log10 from baseline). Conversely the proportion of HIV-DNA carrying cells slightly declined at 3 months but remained substantially stable thereafter both in peripheral blood and in lymph nodes. Taken together these data suggest that this therapeutic regimen, although sub-optimal, is effective in significantly reducing the virus production by productively infected cells but does not seem to substantially affect the load of provirally infected cells.
Riva
E
E
Institute of Virology, University La Sapienza, Roma, Italy.
Antonelli
G
G
Solmone
M C
MC
Turriziani
O
O
Narciso
P
P
Tozzi
V
V
Dianzani
F
F
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy*; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D019259:Lamivudine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011533:Proviruses / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D013997:Time Factors; D014766:Viremia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology; D015215:Zidovudine / Q000008:administration & dosage
D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D004279:DNA, Viral; D012367:RNA, Viral; D019259:Lamivudine; D015215:Zidovudine