title: Analysis of multiply spliced transcripts in lymphoid tissue reservoirs of rhesus macaques infected with RT-SHIV during HAART.
abstract: Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) can reduce levels of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) to undetectable levels in infected individuals, but the virus is not eradicated. The mechanisms of viral persistence during HAART are poorly defined, but some reservoirs have been identified, such as latently infected resting memory CD4⁺ T cells. During latency, in addition to blocks at the initiation and elongation steps of viral transcription, there is a block in the export of viral RNA (vRNA), leading to the accumulation of multiply-spliced transcripts in the nucleus. Two of the genes encoded by the multiply-spliced transcripts are Tat and Rev, which are essential early in the viral replication cycle and might indicate the state of infection in a given population of cells. Here, the levels of multiply-spliced transcripts were compared to the levels of gag-containing RNA in tissue samples from RT-SHIV-infected rhesus macaques treated with HAART. Splice site sequence variation was identified during development of a TaqMan PCR assay. Multiply-spliced transcripts were detected in gastrointestinal and lymphatic tissues, but not the thymus. Levels of multiply-spliced transcripts were lower than levels of gag RNA, and both correlated with plasma virus loads. The ratio of multiply-spliced to gag RNA was greatest in the gastrointestinal samples from macaques with plasma virus loads <50 vRNA copies per mL at necropsy. Levels of gag RNA and multiply-spliced mRNA in tissues from RT-SHIV-infected macaques correlate with plasma virus load.
authors: Center for Comparative Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, California, United States of America.
authors: Jesse D
authors: JD
authors: Deere
authors: Center for Comparative Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, California, United States of America.
authors: Robert C
authors: RC
authors: Kauffman
authors: Center for Comparative Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, California, United States of America.
authors: Elda
authors: E
authors: Cannavo
authors: Center for Comparative Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, California, United States of America.
authors: Joanne
authors: J
authors: Higgins
authors: Center for Comparative Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, California, United States of America.
authors: Andradi
authors: A
authors: Villalobos
authors: Center for Comparative Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, California, United States of America.
authors: Lourdes
authors: L
authors: Adamson
authors: Center for AIDS Research, Laboratory of Biochemical Pharmacology, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America.
authors: Raymond F
authors: RF
authors: Schinazi
authors: Center for Comparative Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, California, United States of America ; Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, California, United States of America.
authors: Paul A
authors: PA
authors: Luciw
authors: Center for Comparative Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, California, United States of America ; Department of Veterinary Molecular Biosciences, University of California Davis, Davis, California, United States of America.
authors: Thomas W
authors: TW
authors: North
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000097:blood*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008253:Macaca mulatta; D008297:Male; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000097:blood*; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D019562:Viral Load; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012367:RNA, Viral