title: Proviral DNA as a Target for HIV-1 Resistance Analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Resistance analysis from viral RNA is restricted to detectable viral load. Therefore, analysis from proviral DNA could help in cases with low-level or suppressed viremia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Viral plasma RNA and the corresponding cellular proviral DNA of 78 EDTA samples from 48 therapy-naïve (TN) and 30 therapy-experienced (TE) HIV-1-infected patients were isolated and analyzed for their resistance profiles in the protease and reverse transcriptase genes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, 175 drug-resistance mutations (DRMs) were detected in 25/30 TE (83.3%) and 5/48 TN (10.4%) samples. The TE patients displayed a mean number of 6.68 DRMs in RNA and 5.20 in DNA. In the TN patients, a mean of 0.8 DRMs was found in RNA and 1.0 in DNA; 75% of the DRMs were detected in RNA and DNA simultaneously. In the TE samples, 76% of the DRMs were detected simultaneously in RNA and DNA, 23% exclusively in RNA and 1% in DNA only. The TN samples revealed a significantly higher frequency of DRMs in DNA than in RNA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Proviral DNA resistance testing provides additional resistance information for TN patients. It is also a reliable alternative for TE patients with unsuccessful RNA testing and can provide valuable information when no records are available.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Virology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: Nadine
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lübke
authors.forename: Veronica
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Di Cristanziano
authors.forename: Saleta
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sierra
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Knops
authors.forename: Eugen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Schülter
authors.forename: Björn
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jensen
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Oette
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lengauer
authors.forename: Rolf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kaiser
mesh_terms: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D024882:Drug Resistance, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000821:virology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009154:Mutation; D011533:Proviruses / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012194:RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase / Q000235:genetics; D019562:Viral Load; D014766:Viremia / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D004279:DNA, Viral; D012367:RNA, Viral; D012194:RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase