Emergence of protease inhibitor resistance-associated mutations in plasma HIV-1 precedes that in proviruses of peripheral blood mononuclear cells by more than a year.
HIV-1 genotype assay using plasma viruses has been widely applied for detection of resistant viruses in infected individuals, whereas there are only a few reports about proviral genotype in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). To determine which sample, plasma or PBMC, should be used for early detection of drug-resistant viruses during antiretroviral treatment, we analyzed 275 plasma-derived and 211 PBMC-derived HIV-1 protease sequences obtained from HIV-1-infected patients during protease inhibitor (PI) therapy. In 70 of 107 pairs (65.4%) of plasma and PBMC samples taken from the same blood draws, the numbers of PI resistance-associated mutations in the plasma-derived genotype were different from those in the PBMC-derived genotype. Plasma viruses had more PI resistance-associated mutations than PBMC proviruses (P = 0.0004). Analysis of serial samples showed that plasma-derived genotype assay could detect primary mutations about 425 days earlier than PBMC-derived genotype when the plasma viral load was less than 10(4 )copies/mL. Our data suggest that genetic turnover of PBMC proviruses is slower than that of plasma viruses and that time lag between emergence of mutations in plasma-derived and PBMC-derived genotypes correlates inversely with viral load. Plasma viruses should be the material of choice for early detection of drug resistance during antiretroviral treatment.
D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D024882:Drug Resistance, Viral; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000821:virology; D016333:HIV Protease / Q000235:genetics*; D017320:HIV Protease Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000821:virology*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests / Q000379:methods; D009154:Mutation; D011533:Proviruses / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013997:Time Factors; D019562:Viral Load
D004279:DNA, Viral; D017320:HIV Protease Inhibitors; D016333:HIV Protease