title: Nef mutations in long-term non-progressors from former plasma donors infected with HIV-1 subtype B in China.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: 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.
authors.forename: Shu-Hua
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Xing
authors.forename: Xiang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Feng-Xia
authors.initials: FX
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Zhe-Feng
authors.initials: ZF
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.forename: Yu-Hua
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Ruan
authors.forename: Yi-Ming
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Shao
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D015693:Gene Products, nef