title: Early archives of genetically-restricted proviral DNA in the female genital tract after heterosexual transmission of HIV-1.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In order to characterize human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) variants that are transmitted in women via heterosexual intercourse, the env V1-V3 sequences of HIV-1 provirus (DNA) and free virus (RNA) in paired samples of blood and cervicovaginal secretions of untreated chronically and primary infected African women were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Env RNA sequences retrieved from plasma and genital compartments formed a single cluster in primary infection. In contrast, env RNA sequences from these two compartments were distinct in chronically infected women. Analysis of proviral DNA of primary infected women showed that most HIV-1 sequences derived from the genital epithelia form independent clusters from HIV-1 sequences of DNA from peripheral blood mononuclear cells and RNA recovered from plasma and genital secretions. Similarly, the analysis of proviral DNA in the genital compartment of chronically infected women showed the persistence of genetically-restricted cluster of HIV-1.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These observations indicate that a viral subpopulation is archived as proviral DNA in the female genital tract early in primary infection, and suggest that HIV-1 variants from the male donor are selected in the female mucosal site during male to female transmission of HIV-1.
authors.affiliation: Université Paris V, Unité INSERM Internationale d'Immunologie Humaine U743, Equipe Immunité et Biothérapie Muqueuse, Centre de Recherches Biomédicales des Cordeliers, and Laboratoire de Virologie, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, Paris, France.
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Chomont
authors.forename: Hakim
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hocini
authors.forename: Gérard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Grésenguet
authors.forename: Céline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Brochier
authors.forename: Hicham
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bouhlal
authors.forename: Laurent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Andréoletti
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Becquart
authors.forename: Charlotte
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Charpentier
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: de Dieu Longo
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Si-Mohamed
authors.forename: Michel D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Kazatchkine
authors.forename: Laurent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bélec
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D015752:Genes, env; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005836:Genitalia, Female / Q000821:virology*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000635:transmission* / Q000821:virology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011533:Proviruses / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D012367:RNA, Viral