Integration of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 in untreated infection occurs preferentially within genes.
Previous analyses of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) integration sites generated in infections in vitro or in patients in whom viral replication was repressed by antiviral therapy have demonstrated a preference for integration within protein-coding genes. We analyzed integration sites in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), spleen, lymph node, and cerebral cortex from patients with untreated HIV-1 infections. The great majority of integration sites in each tissue were within genes. Statistical analyses of the frequencies of integration in genes in PBMCs and lymph tissue demonstrated a strong preference for integration within genes. Although the sample size for brain tissue was too small to demonstrate a clear statistical preference for integration in genes, four of the five integration sites identified in brain were within genes. Taken together, our data indicate that HIV-1 preferentially integrates within genes during untreated infection.
Liu
Hongbing
H
Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
Dow
Eugene C
EC
Arora
Reetakshi
R
Kimata
Jason T
JT
Bull
Lara M
LM
Arduino
Roberto C
RC
Rice
Andrew P
AP
D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000502:physiology / Q000821:virology; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D005796:Genes / Q000502:physiology*; D015894:Genome, Human; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000235:genetics / Q000821:virology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity; D006801:Humans; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000502:physiology / Q000821:virology; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000502:physiology / Q000821:virology; D013154:Spleen / Q000502:physiology / Q000821:virology; D016662:Virus Integration; D014779:Virus Replication
D004247:DNA