HIV gp120 V3 loop motif variability in HIV, HCV and HBV coinfected patients: immunological and virological parameters of the progression

• Grant number: 15/04991-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: August 01, 2015
• End date: July 31, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Biochemistry
• Principal Investigator: Rejane Maria Tommasini Grotto
• Grantee: Thais Watanabe
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Agronômicas (FCA). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Botucatu. Botucatu , SP, Brazil

Abstract

HIV/HCV and HIV/HBV coinfection are important public health problems. HIV infection progression is influenced by viral and host factors. The viral factors include the sequence diversity found in the third variable region of the HIVgp120 (V3 loop), which relates to various biological characteristics of viral. The tip motif of the V3 loop has a conserved amino acid sequence (GPG) in the virus of subtype B, the most frequent in the country. In Brazil, we find the B' variant, with the GWG sequence in the region of the V3 loop tip. Infection by this variant has been associated with a slower progression to AIDS, as well as, the non-syncytium-inducing phenotype (NSI). Studies have shown an association between the NSI variant's presence and with B' variant in HIV asymptomatic monoinfected patients. Little is known about the influence of this variant in HIV infection evolution in HIV/HCV and/or HIV/HBV coinfected. The goal of this study will be to evaluate the presence of the B' variant of HIV in patients with HIV/HCV, HIV/HBV or HIV/HCV/HBV infection, to determine the relationship with the progression of HIV infection according to clinical, virological and immunological parameters. Correlate the presence of B' variant with the ability to induce syncitia formation in these same patients and, check the relationship of these variants with the HIV infection progression. The viral RNA will be extracted from plasma and used for amplification and sequencing of the HIV gp120 V3 loop region. The sequences will be used for inference of V3 loop phenotype using bioinformatics tools. Data about the HIV infection progression will be assessed using the patient's medical registers.(AU)