title: Residual HIV-RNA levels persist for up to 2.5 years in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients on potent antiretroviral therapy.
abstract: The long-term response of 10 asymptomatic, antiretroviral therapy-naive HIV-1-infected patients to potent combination antiretroviral therapy was characterized by monitoring levels of HIV-1 RNA in plasma, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), and lymphoid tissue using highly sensitive HIV-1 RNA assays. Although plasma viral loads were continuously suppressed to levels below 50 HIV-1 RNA copies/ml for up to 2.5 years (60-128 weeks), HIV-1 RNA was still detectable at very low levels (1 to 49 HIV-1 RNA copies/ml) in 25% of the samples. In corresponding PBMC specimens, residual HIV-RNA was detectable in as much as 91% of samples tested (1 to 420 HIV-1 RNA copies/microg total RNA). Similarly, HIV-1 RNA levels in lymphoid tissue also remained detectable at a high frequency (86%). A highly significant correlation was demonstrated between therapy-induced change in PBMC HIV-1 RNA levels and change in plasma HIV-1 RNA levels (r2 = 0.69; p = 0.003). These findings support the concept that measurement of HIV-1 RNA in the easily accessible PBMC compartment is relevant for evaluating the potency of current and future antiretroviral therapies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital Zurich, Switzerland. marek.fischer@dim.usz.ch
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fischer
authors.forename: H F
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Günthard
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Opravil
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Joos
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Huber
authors.forename: L R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Bisset
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ott
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Böni
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Weber
authors.forename: R W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Cone
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000821:virology*; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000821:virology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000821:virology*; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000821:virology*; D008221:Lymphoid Tissue / Q000821:virology; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D012367:RNA, Viral