Document 3321
 DOCN  M94A3321
 TI    Unintegrated HIV-specific DNA in plasma of infected individuals.
 DT    9412
 AU    Nandi J; Bhavalkar V; Kamat H; Banerjee K; National Inst. of Virology,
       Pune, India.
 SO    Int Conf AIDS. 1994 Aug 7-12;10(1):102 (abstract no. PA0027). Unique
       Identifier : AIDSLINE ICA10/94369254
 AB    OBJECTIVE: The study was undertaken to detect HIV-specific DNA in plasma
       of infected individuals and compare it with the other nucleic acid
       markers of the virus i.e. HIV-specific DNA in PBL as the provirus and
       HIV-specific RNA, in the plasma of infected persons. METHODS: Blood
       samples were collected from asymptomatic, seropositive persons with risk
       behaviour of HIV-transmission, patients of AIDS and voluntary donors
       with no risk behaviour as control. All samples were first screened
       serologically and then subjected to PCR using HIV-specific primers from
       pol region. RESULTS: The study shows presence of HIV-specific DNA in the
       plasma of asymptomatic, seropositive persons as well as in plasma of
       AIDS patients. At the same time point, the PCR signals with DNA
       extracted from PBL (representing integrated proviral DNA) were either
       weak or negative. The PCR signals obtained when RNA was extracted from
       plasma of the same individuals and subjected to RT-PCR were more
       consistent than those of PBL-DNA-PCR. DNA extracted from plasma of AIDS
       patients gave positive signals with 32p labeled full length cloned
       HIV-DNA. DISCUSSION & CONCLUSION: The above results suggest that HIV
       probably also replicates through an alternative pathway of unintegrated
       DNA (J. Nandi & K. Banerjee, Med. Hyp. 40: 1-7, 1993). The plasma
       HIV-DNA can be used in early diagnosis and monitoring therapy in HIV
       infection.
 DE    Biological Markers/BLOOD  DNA Primers/GENETICS  DNA,
       Viral/*BLOOD/GENETICS  Genes, pol  Human  HIV/GENETICS/*ISOLATION &
       PURIF/PHYSIOLOGY  HIV Infections/DIAGNOSIS/*MICROBIOLOGY  Polymerase
       Chain Reaction  Proviruses/GENETICS/ISOLATION & PURIF  RNA,
       Viral/BLOOD/GENETICS  Virus Integration  Virus Replication  MEETING
       ABSTRACT

       SOURCE: National Library of Medicine.  NOTICE: This material may be
       protected by Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.Code).