Nef mutations in long-term non-progressors from former plasma donors infected with HIV-1 subtype B in China.
OBJECTIVE
To study the specific amino acid variation in Nef that may be related to disease progression after infection with HIV-1 subtype B, a predominant strain circulating in China, and to determine whether changes in Nef secondary structure may influence different stages of AIDS development based on the concept that the Nef gene of HIV infection dramatically alter the severity of viral infection and virus replication and disease progression, and that long-term non-progressors (LTNP) of HIV infection are commonly associated with either a deletion of the Nef gene or the defective Nef alleles.


METHODS
The study subjects were divided into LTNP1(n=14), LTNP2 (n=16) and slow progressor (SP, n=19) groups for mutational analysis of the Nef sequence. The data were obtained by using Bioedit, MEGA, Anthewin and SAS software.


RESULTS
Residues in Nef TA(48/49) and K151 occurred more frequently in the LTNP group while AA(48/49) was more frequently observed in the SP group. Of the differences observed in the secondary structure comparison using Nef consensus sequences of these three groups, one was roughly corresponding to the Nef(48/49) mutation site.


CONCLUSIONS
TA(48/49), K(151), and AA(48/49) in the Nef gene might be associated with the different stages of HIV infection, and there may be a link between the Nef secondary structure and the progression of HIV-1 infection.
Wang
Shu-Hua
SH
State Key Laboratory for Infection Diseases Prevention and Control, National Center for AIDS/STD Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 100050, China.
Xing
Hui
H
He
Xiang
X
Zhu
Feng-Xia
FX
Meng
Zhe-Feng
ZF
Ruan
Yu-Hua
YH
Shao
Yi-Ming
YM
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D001782:Blood Donors; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D018450:Disease Progression; D015693:Gene Products, nef / Q000235:genetics*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D020276:HIV Long-Term Survivors; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D013997:Time Factors
D015693:Gene Products, nef