title: Trends for genetic variation of Hepatitis C Virus quasispecies in Human Immunodeficiency virus-1 coinfected patients.
abstract: Chronic infection by Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) causes liver fibrosis, which is accelerated by unknown mechanisms in patients with HIV-1 coinfection. The evolution of HCV quasispecies in this setting of coinfection is not fully understood. To compare HCV quasispecies between HIV-HCV coinfection and HCV monoinfection, we sequenced 340 HCV clones from the HVR-1 and NS3 regions at two different time points in two groups of treatment-naïve patients with HCV-1a infection: (1) HIV-HCV positive (n=6); and (2) HIV negative-HCV positive (n=3). In HCV/HIV coinfection, we found a trend for reduced HCV genetic complexity and diversity, and a trend towards reduced dN/dS ratios in the HVR-1 region, especially in those patients with CD4<200cells/mm(3), who lost positive selective immune pressure in the HVR-1 region. Differences in immune regulation of HCV quasispecies in HIV coinfected individuals deserve further exploration to clarify the different outcomes of chronic hepatitis C noted between the immunocompromised and the immunocompetent host.
authors.affiliation: Public Health Department, Generalitat Valenciana and Evolutionary Genetics Unit, Institut Cavanilles de Biodiversitat i Biologia Evolutiva, University of Valencia, Apt. Of. 2085, E-46071 Valencia, Spain. F.Xavier.Lopez@uv.es
authors.forename: F Xavier
authors.initials: FX
authors.lastname: López-Labrador
authors.forename: Lorna
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dove
authors.forename: Chee-Kin
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Hui
authors.forename: Yume
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Phung
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Berenguer
authors.forename: Teresa L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Wright
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D014644:Genetic Variation; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications*; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D017385:Sequence Homology; D017361:Viral Nonstructural Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases; D043583:Nucleoside-Triphosphatase; D053487:DEAD-box RNA Helicases; D000085242:Viral Proteases
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral; D017361:Viral Nonstructural Proteins; D014764:Viral Proteins; C400562:HVR1 protein, Hepatitis C virus; C084422:NS3 protein, hepatitis C virus; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases; D043583:Nucleoside-Triphosphatase; D053487:DEAD-box RNA Helicases; D000085242:Viral Proteases