title: Evolution of proviral gp120 over the first year of HIV-1 subtype C infection.
abstract: The evolution of proviral gp120 during the first year after seroconversion in HIV-1 subtype C infection was addressed in a case series of eight subjects. Multiple viral variants were found in two out of eight cases. Slow rate of viral RNA decline and high early viral RNA set point were associated with a higher level of proviral diversity from 0 to 200 days after seroconversion. Proviral divergence from MRCA over the same period also differed between subjects with slow and fast decline of viral RNA, suggesting that evolution of proviral gp120 early in infection may be linked to the level of viral RNA replication. Changes in the length of variable loops were minimal, and length reduction was more common than length increase. Potential N-linked glycosylation sites ranged +/-one site, showing common fluctuations in the V4 and V5 loops. These results highlight the role of proviral gp120 diversity and diversification in the pathogenesis of acute HIV-1 subtype C infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard School of Public Health, FXB 402, 651 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
authors.forename: Vladimir
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Novitsky
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lagakos
authors.forename: Michaela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Herzig
authors.forename: Caitlin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bonney
authors.forename: Lemme
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kebaabetswe
authors.forename: Raabya
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rossenkhan
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Nkwe
authors.forename: Lauren
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Margolin
authors.forename: Rosemary
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Musonda
authors.forename: Sikhulile
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Moyo
authors.forename: Elias
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Woldegabriel
authors.forename: Erik
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: van Widenfelt
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Makhema
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Essex
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D005260:Female; D015699:HIV Envelope Protein gp120 / Q000235:genetics*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000821:virology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D011533:Proviruses / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D017385:Sequence Homology; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D015699:HIV Envelope Protein gp120; D012367:RNA, Viral; C514793:gp120 protein, Human immunodeficiency virus 1