Variability of HIV-1 Genomes among Children and Adolescents from Sao Paulo, Brazil

Author(s):Show less -

Sanabani, Sabri Saeed ^{[1, 2]} ; Pessoa, Rodrigo ^[1] ; Soares de Oliveira, Ana Carolina ^[1] ; Martinez, Vanessa Pouza ^[1] ; Giret, Maria Teresa Maidana ^[3] ; de Menezes Succi, Regina Celia ^[4] ; Carvalho, Karina ^[5] ; Tomiyama, Claudia Satiko ^[5] ; Nixon, Douglas F. ^[6] ; Sabino, Ester Cerdeira ^[1] ; Kallas, Esper Georges ^[5]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Inst Trop Med, Virol Lab LIM HCFMUSP 52, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[2] Univ Sao Paulo, Sch Med, Clin & Res Lab LIM 03, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[3] Univ Florida, Miller Sch Med, Story Lab 2, Miami, FL - USA

^[4] Univ Fed Sao Paulo, Paulista Sch Med, Dept Pediat, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[5] Univ Sao Paulo, Sch Med, Div Clin Immunol & Allergy, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[6] Univ Calif San Francisco, Dept Med, Div Expt Med, San Francisco, CA - USA

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: PLoS One; v. 8, n. 5 MAY 7 2013.
• Web of Science Citations: 16

Abstract

Background: Genetic variability is a major feature of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and considered the key factor to frustrating efforts to halt the virus epidemic. In this study, we aimed to investigate the genetic variability of HIV-1 strains among children and adolescents born from 1992 to 2009 in the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil. Methodology: Plasma and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were collected from 51 HIV-1-positive children and adolescents on ART followed between September 1992 and July 2009. After extraction, the genetic materials were used in a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to amplify the viral near full length genomes (NFLGs) from 5 overlapped fragments. NFLGs and partial amplicons were directly sequenced and data were phylogenetically inferred. Results: Of the 51 samples studied, the NFLGs and partial fragments of HIV-1 from 42 PBMCs and 25 plasma were successfully subtyped. Results based on proviral DNA revealed that 22 (52.4%) patients were infected with subtype B, 16 (38.1%) were infected with BF1 mosaic variants and 4 (9.5%) were infected with sub-subtype F1. All the BF1 recombinants were unique and distinct from any previously identified unique or circulating recombinant forms in South America. Evidence of dual infections was detected in 3 patients coinfected with the same or distinct HIV-1 subtypes. Ten of the 31 (32.2%) and 12 of the 21 (57.1%) subjects with recovered proviral and plasma, respectively, protease sequences were infected with major mutants resistant to protease inhibitors. The V3 sequences of 14 patients with available sequences from PBMC/or plasma were predicted to be R5-tropic virus except for two patients who harbored an X4 strain. Conclusions: The high proportion of HIV-1 BF1 recombinant, coinfection rate and vertical transmission in Brazil merits urgent attention and effective measures to reduce the transmission of HIV among spouses and sex partners. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 11/09983-1 - Variabilty of HIV-1 near full length genomes among pediatric infections from São Paulo, Brazil
• Grantee: Sabri Saeed Mohammed Ahmed Al-Sanabani
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 04/15856-9 - Prospective analysis of the virological and immunological characteristics in individuals with recent HIV-1 infection in the cities of São Paulo and Santos
• Grantee: Ricardo Sobhie Diaz
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants
• FAPESP's process: 06/50096-0 - Characterization of Human Immunodeficiency Virus type 1 (HIV-1) in a cohort of recently infected persons from the State of São Paulo by full genome sequencing
• Grantee: Sabri Saeed Mohammed Ahmed Al-Sanabani
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• FAPESP's process: 10/05845-0 - Cellular immune responses in infectious diseases and primary immunodeficiencies
• Grantee: Esper Georges Kallás
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Visiting Researcher Grant - International