Current HIV Research - Volume 6, Issue 2, 2008

The multidomain HIV-1 Vif protein recruits several cellular partners to achieve neutralization of the antiviral activity of APOBEC3 proteins. Vif neutralizes APOBEC3G and APOBEC3F predominantly by forming an E3 ubiquitin ligase with Cullin5, ElonginB and ElonginC that targets these proteins for degradation by the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. Vif associates with the Cullin5-ElonginB-ElonginC complex by binding dire Read More

To describe characteristics and prognosis of patients with suboptimal immunological response to combined antiretroviral therapy (CART). Using data from a multicenter cohort study, we selected patients who initiated CART and showed suboptimal CD4-T cell response (defined as <50 cells/L increase) after 1 year of therapy, despite sustained virological suppression. Characteristics of those patients were compared with subjec Read More

The Asian HIV epidemic appears to be complex, characterized by the prevalence of multiple subtypes and circulating recombinant forms with gradual replacement of pure HIV-1 subtypes in several geographical regions. The main objectives of the present study are to identify and analyse the full-length viral genomes of three unique recombinant forms (URFs); the HIV-1 isolates 07MYKLD47, 07MYKLD48 and 07MYKLD49 fro Read More

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) Nef protein is myristoylated and plays a critical role in AIDS pathogenesis by enhancing viral replication, survival of the virus within infected cells and by facilitating its spread in vivo. We observed that, in the promonocytic cell line U937, myristoylated exogenous Nef protein activates NF-κB and AP-1, whereas unmyristoylated exogenous Nef protein does not. Using methyl-β-cyclodextri Read More

Previous studies have demonstrated that nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase (RT) inhibitors (NNRTIs) act as chemical enhancers of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) RT dimerization. In the current study, we sought to define the role of key residues (101, 103, 108, 181, 188, 190, 225 and 318) in the NNRTI-binding pocket on HIV-1 RT heterodimer stability. Thirteen mutant RTs were constructed and evaluated f Read More

We assessed the correlation between HIV-RNA viral load in blood (BPVL) and seminal plasma (SPVL) in a cross-sectional cohort of 119 asymptomatic, antiretroviral-naive and experienced HIV-1 subjects (BPVL < 50 copies/mL for minimum 12 months and stable on one drug regimen). The cohort was divided into 3 groups: 2 according to the non nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) and protease i Read More

Since the outbreak of the HIV epidemic in the 1980s, various organisations and researchers have produced statistics on HIV/AIDS including HIV prevalence, incidence, number of AIDS cases, AIDS-related mortality as well as life expectancy at birth in the context of HIV/AIDS. Until recently HIV-prevalence statistics as well as models projecting the impact of HIV/AIDS utilised HIV-prevalence statistics based on women attendin Read More

An ex vivo trial utilizing photopheresis with Benzoporphyrin Derivative as the photoactive compound, identified the minimum energy levels of light and concentrations of BPD that eradicated both cell-free and cell-associated HIV- 1 infectivity without destroying the virus particles or infected leukocytes. Leukocytes remained viable with altered chemokine/cytokine expression. Apoptosis was induced in a minority of CD4 but not Read More

Adherence to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has been scarcely studied in correctional settings. Our study aims to evaluate the relationship between adherence and virological outcome and to determine factors related to adherence in correctional settings. A cross-sectional retrospective study was performed in Topas prison (Salamanca, Spain). 50 inmates starting HAART were studied. Adherence was estima Read More

Aim of our report is to discuss some key adherence features in the real world, by reporting two exceptional patients, who deliberately took all antiretroviral medications at half-dosage compared with standard prescriptions, and maintained a fully stable and sustained virological and immunological response after 6-10 consecutive years. The potential causes and consequences of this apparent misconduct of our patie Read More

Prevalence and impact of occult HBV infection in HIV positive patients is controversial. The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence of occult HBV infection and its impact on histological and virological parameters. 52 HIV/HCV (but HBsAg-negative) co-infected patients, 29 HBsAg and anti-HCV negative chronic hepatitis, and 20 HBsAg positive chronic hepatitis controls were studied. DNA was extracted from frozen biops Read More

This is with reference to the article entitled, “HIV-1 Integrase: From Biology to Chemotherapeutics”, by Eriketi Zeinalipour-Loizidou, Christos Nicolaou, Athanasios Nicolaidesand Leondios G. Kostrikis, published in Current HIV Research , July 2007, Vol. 5, No. 4, pp. 365-388. Due to an oversight Figure 1, Figure 2 and Figure 3 of this paper were printed in black in white on reproduction in the printing. Color figures 1, 2 an Read More