Infection with HIV-1 induces a decrease in mtDNA.
Cross-sectional studies have suggested that infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) type 1 could reduce the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) content of blood cells. We investigated mtDNA content in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) obtained from 36 antiretroviral therapy-naive documented HIV-1 seroconverters, before and after seroconversion. mtDNA content statistically significantly decreased 1 year after seroconversion and showed a nonsignificant decrease during the subsequent 4 years. These findings confirm that infection with HIV-1 may, itself, reduce mtDNA content, at least within PBMCs. This could have implications for the subsequent development of mitochondrial toxicities associated with the use of nucleoside analogue reverse-transcriptase inhibitors.
Casula
Miriam
M
International Antiviral Therapy Evaluation Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. m.casula@amc.uva.nl
Bosboom-Dobbelaer
Irene
I
Smolders
Karlijn
K
Otto
Sigrid
S
Bakker
Margreet
M
de Baar
Michel P
MP
Reiss
Peter
P
de Ronde
Anthony
A
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000276:immunology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male
D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial