Long-term persistence of transcriptionally active 'defective' HIV-1 proviruses : implications for persistent immune activation during antiretroviral therapy

OBJECTIVES: People with HIV-1 (PWH) on effective antiretroviral therapy (ART) continue to exhibit chronic systemic inflammation, immune activation, and persistent elevations in markers of HIV-1 infection [including HIV-DNA, cell-associated HIV-RNA (CA HIV-RNA), and antibodies to HIV-1 proteins] despite prolonged suppression of plasma HIV-RNA levels less than 50 copies/ml. Here, we investigated the hypothesis that nonreplicating but transcriptionally and translationally competent 'defective' HIV-1 proviruses may be one of drivers of these phenomena.

DESIGN: A combined cohort of 23 viremic and virologically suppressed individuals on ART were studied.

METHODS: HIV-DNA, CA HIV-RNA, western blot score (measure of anti-HIV-1 antibodies as a surrogate for viral protein expression in vivo ), and key biomarkers of inflammation and coagulation (IL-6, hsCRP, TNF-alpha, tissue factor, and D-dimer) were measured in peripheral blood and analyzed using a combined cross-sectional and longitudinal approaches. Sequences of HIV-DNA and CA HIV-RNA obtained via 5'-LTR-to-3'-LTR PCR and single-genome sequencing were also analyzed.

RESULTS: We observed similar long-term persistence of multiple, unique, transcriptionally active 'defective' HIV-1 provirus clones (average: 11 years., range: 4-20 years) and antibody responses against HIV-1 viral proteins among all ART-treated participants evaluated. A direct correlation was observed between the magnitude of HIV-1 western blot score and the levels of transcription of 'defective' HIV-1 proviruses ( r  = 0.73, P  < 0.01). Additional correlations were noted between total CD8 + T-cell counts and HIV-DNA ( r  = 0.52, P  = 0.01) or CA HIV-RNA ( r  = 0.65, P  < 0.01).

CONCLUSION: These findings suggest a novel interplay between transcription and translation of 'defective' HIV-1 proviruses and the persistent immune activation seen in the setting of treated chronic HIV-1 infection.

Errataetall:

CommentIn: AIDS. 2023 Nov 15;37(14):2239-2241. - PMID 37877277

Medienart:

E-Artikel

Erscheinungsjahr:

2023

Erschienen:

2023

Enthalten in:

Zur Gesamtaufnahme - volume:37

Enthalten in:

AIDS (London, England) - 37(2023), 14 vom: 15. Nov., Seite 2119-2130

Sprache:

Englisch

Beteiligte Personen:

Singh, Kanal [VerfasserIn]
Natarajan, Ven [VerfasserIn]
Dewar, Robin [VerfasserIn]
Rupert, Adam [VerfasserIn]
Badralmaa, Yuden [VerfasserIn]
Zhai, Tracey [VerfasserIn]
Winchester, Nicole [VerfasserIn]
Scrimieri, Francesca [VerfasserIn]
Smith, Mindy [VerfasserIn]
Davis, Ivery [VerfasserIn]
Lallemand, Perrine [VerfasserIn]
Giglietti, Aude [VerfasserIn]
Hensien, Jack [VerfasserIn]
Buerkert, Thomas [VerfasserIn]
Goshu, Bruktawit [VerfasserIn]
Rehm, Catherine A [VerfasserIn]
Hu, Zonghui [VerfasserIn]
Lane, H Clifford [VerfasserIn]
Imamichi, Hiromi [VerfasserIn]

Links:

Volltext

Themen:

DNA, Viral
Journal Article
RNA, Viral
Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Viral Proteins

Anmerkungen:

Date Completed 26.10.2023

Date Revised 04.11.2023

published: Print-Electronic

CommentIn: AIDS. 2023 Nov 15;37(14):2239-2241. - PMID 37877277

Citation Status MEDLINE

doi:

10.1097/QAD.0000000000003667

funding:

Förderinstitution / Projekttitel:

PPN (Katalog-ID):

NLM360554059