Treatment of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is restricted by therap
eutic escape. The biological mechanisms of this chemoresistance rely notabl
y on the modulation of cell kinase and P-glycoprotein (P-gp) expression. In
this study, we investigated, in cynomolgus macaques, the roles of SHIV89.
6P infection and of HAART in the mRNA expression of these cell factors. SHI
V infection, or associated pathophysiological disorders, increase both thym
idine kinase and thymidylate kinase mRNA expression and decrease those of P
-gp. On the other hand, the expression of other cell kinases is not modulat
ed. In parallel, HAART accentuates the decrease of P-gp expression and atte
nuates the increase of kinase expression. On the whole, such metabolic diso
rders, evidenced herein an animal model of HIV infection, could be involved
in HIV-infected patients. (C) 2000 Editions scientifiques et medicales Els
evier SAS.