Document 1054
 DOCN  M94A1054
 TI    Characterization of E subtype HIV-1 from AIDS patients and recent
       seroconverters in northern Thailand.
 DT    9412
 AU    Wang Z; Yu X; Beyrer C; Chamboonruang S; Nelson K; Dept. Immunology and
       Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins School of; Hygiene, Baltimore, MD
       21205.
 SO    Int Conf AIDS. 1994 Aug 7-12;10(2):22 (abstract no. 379A). Unique
       Identifier : AIDSLINE ICA10/94371521
 AB    OBJECTIVE: Most of the information regarding HIV-1 transmission and
       pathogenesis to date has been obtained from North America and Europe
       where homosexual men and IV drug users are the main study subjects. The
       viruses that circulated in these areas are predominantly B subtype. We
       are interested in characterization of E subtype HIV-1 from AIDS patients
       and recent seroconverters in northern Thailand. METHODS: Viruses and DNA
       sequences surrounding the V3 loop were obtained from AIDS patients and
       recent seroconverters in northern Thailand. All viruses were analyzed
       for replication and syncytium-induction in PBMC, MT-2, SupT1, and H9
       cells. A region of approximately 300 bps from gp120 including V3 was
       sequenced using DNA from PBMC and, in the case of SI viruses, from MT-2
       cells. RESULTS: All viruses analyzed are E subtype HIV-1 based on
       phylogenetic tree analysis. Although amino acid sequences from some
       recent seroconverters were very similar to the previously published
       sequences, sequences from others were significantly different. Sequences
       from AIDS patients were highly divergent from the previously published
       sequences. Significant number of AIDS patients (65%) harbor SI variants.
       AIDS patients that had SI viruses were younger (avg. 24 yr) than those
       who had NSI (avg. 36 yr). Rules that use the V3 sequence to distinguish
       SI vs NSI for B subtype HIV-1 applied poorly for the E subtype SI HIV-1
       (47%). Despite the predominance of GPGQ at the tip of V3 in previously
       published E subtype HIV-1 from Thailand, the majority of the E subtype
       viruses from the AIDS patients had GPGR and GPGH. A highly conserved
       N-linked glycosylation site within V3 in previously published E subtype
       HIV-1 from Thailand was preferentially mutated in viruses from the AIDS
       patients (71%), esp. in the SI viruses (100%). CONCLUSIONS: HIV-1
       circulating in the infected population in northern Thailand is
       significantly divergent from viruses characterized two years ago. Any
       vaccine strategy should consider the rapid diversification of HIV-1 in
       this new epidemic area. The appearance of SI variants was significantly
       associated with symptomatic AIDS patients in Thailand where E subtype of
       HIV-1 is circulating and heterosexual transmission is the major route of
       HIV-1 infection.
 DE    Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/EPIDEMIOLOGY/*MICROBIOLOGY/
       TRANSMISSION  Amino Acid Sequence  Comparative Study  Cytopathogenic
       Effect, Viral  Human  HIV Envelope Protein gp120/GENETICS  HIV
       Seropositivity/EPIDEMIOLOGY/*MICROBIOLOGY
       HIV-1/*CLASSIFICATION/GENETICS/ISOLATION & PURIF/PHYSIOLOGY  Molecular
       Sequence Data  Peptide Fragments/GENETICS  Thailand/EPIDEMIOLOGY  Time
       Factors  Variation (Genetics)  Virus Replication  MEETING ABSTRACT

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