Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 quasi species that rebound after discontinuation of highly active antiretroviral therapy are similar to the viralquasi species present before initiation of therapy
H. Imamichi et al., Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 quasi species that rebound after discontinuation of highly active antiretroviral therapy are similar to the viralquasi species present before initiation of therapy, J INFEC DIS, 183(1), 2001, pp. 36-50
In an effort to identify the sources of the viruses that emerge after disco
ntinuation of therapy, analyses of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) quasi
species were done for 3 patients with sustained levels of HIV RNA of <50 c
opies/mL for 1-3 years. The sequences found in the rebounding plasma virus
were closely related to those of the actively replicating form of viruses p
resent before the initiation of combination therapy. All quasi species foun
d in the rebounding plasma virus were also present in proviral DNA, cell-as
sociated RNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), and virion RNA d
erived from PBMC coculture during periods when plasma HIV RNA levels were <
50 copies/mL. These findings suggest that the rapid resurgence of plasma vi
remia observed after discontinuation of therapy and the viruses cocultured
from PBMC are derived from a relatively stable pool of the replicating form
of virus rather than from activation of a previously latent pool.