Gupta P, Leroux C, Patterson B, Ding M, Rinaldo C, Buchanan W, Montelaro R; Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections.
Program Abstr 6th Conf Retrovir Oppor Infect Conf Retrovir Oppor Infect 6th 1999 Chic Ill. 1999 Jan 31-Feb 4; 6th: 125 (abstract no. 302).
University of Pittsburgh, PA.
A prospective longitudinal study was done to determine the mechanism of HIV-1 shedding in semen. Semen and blood from 18 HIV-1 seropositive subjects were collected weekly for 10 weeks and assessed for viral RNA. 28% of subjects shed HIV-1 at all visits and 28% did not shed HIV-1 at any visit. The other 44% shed HIV-1 intermittently (15%-70%) with no change in blood viral load. The intermittent shedding was not related to the number of activated CD4+CD45RO+ cells or level of RANTES in semen, or viral transcriptional activity in semen mononuclear cells. Sequence analysis of the HIV-1 RNA from semen and blood indicates that viral variants present in semen from intermittent shedder were distinct from those present in their blood. However, viral variants present in semen from continuous shedders were very similar to that present to their blood. These results suggest that in intermittent shedders HIV-1 arises from HIV-1 replicating in a local privileged site in male genital tract with restricted passage between blood and genital organ, while in persistent shedders HIV-1 in semen arises due to continuous exchange of viral variants between the blood and genital compartments.
Publication Types:
Keywords:
- CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes
- HIV-1
- Male
- Prospective Studies
- RNA, Viral
- Semen
- Viral Load
Other ID:
UI: 102188950
From Meeting Abstracts