The level of APOBEC3G (hA3G)-related G-to-A mutations does not correlate with viral load in HIV type 1-infected individuals

AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses. 2008 Oct;24(10):1285-90. doi: 10.1089/aid.2008.0072.

Abstract

The APOBEC family of mammalian cytidine deaminases, such as APOBEC3G (hA3G), has been demonstrated to function as a host viral restriction factor against HIV-1. hA3G has been shown to cause extensive G-to-A mutations in the HIV-1 genome, which may play a role in viral restriction. To investigate the role of G-to-A mutations in HIV-1 pathogenesis, we isolated, amplified, and sequenced HIV-1 sequences (vif, gag, and env) from 29 therapy-naive HIV-1-infected individuals. The levels of G-to-A mutations correlated with the expression levels of hA3G in the vif (rho = 0.438, p = 0.041) and the env regions (rho = 0.392, p = 0.038), but not in the gag region (rho = 0.131, p = 0.582). There is no correlation between viral load and the level of G-to-A mutations in the vif (rho = 0.144, p = 0.522), env (rho = 0.168, p = 0.391), or gag regions (rho = -0.254, p = 0.279). Taken together, these findings suggest that the hA3G-induced G-to-A mutations may not be the mechanism by which hA3G restricts or controls viral replication. Thus, hA3G might be restricting viral growth in infected individuals through a mechanism that is independent of the cytidine deaminase activities of hA3G.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • APOBEC-3G Deaminase
  • Animals
  • Cytidine Deaminase / immunology*
  • Female
  • HIV Infections / immunology*
  • HIV Infections / virology*
  • HIV-1 / genetics*
  • HIV-1 / isolation & purification
  • Humans
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Point Mutation*
  • Polymorphism, Genetic
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA
  • Viral Load*
  • env Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus / genetics
  • gag Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus / genetics
  • vif Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus / genetics

Substances

  • env Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus
  • gag Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus
  • vif Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus
  • vif protein, Human immunodeficiency virus 1
  • APOBEC-3G Deaminase
  • APOBEC3G protein, human
  • Cytidine Deaminase

Associated data

  • GENBANK/EU541976
  • GENBANK/EU541977
  • GENBANK/EU541978
  • GENBANK/EU541979
  • GENBANK/EU541980
  • GENBANK/EU541981
  • GENBANK/EU541982
  • GENBANK/EU541983
  • GENBANK/EU541984
  • GENBANK/EU541985
  • GENBANK/EU541986
  • GENBANK/EU541987
  • GENBANK/EU541988
  • GENBANK/EU541989
  • GENBANK/EU541990
  • GENBANK/EU541991
  • GENBANK/EU541992
  • GENBANK/EU541993
  • GENBANK/EU541994
  • GENBANK/EU541995
  • GENBANK/EU541996
  • GENBANK/EU541997
  • GENBANK/EU541998
  • GENBANK/EU541999
  • GENBANK/EU542000
  • GENBANK/EU542001
  • GENBANK/EU542002
  • GENBANK/EU542003
  • GENBANK/EU542004
  • GENBANK/EU542005
  • GENBANK/EU542006
  • GENBANK/EU542007
  • GENBANK/EU542008
  • GENBANK/EU542009
  • GENBANK/EU542010
  • GENBANK/EU542011
  • GENBANK/EU542012
  • GENBANK/EU542013
  • GENBANK/EU542014
  • GENBANK/EU542015
  • GENBANK/EU542016
  • GENBANK/EU542017
  • GENBANK/EU542018
  • GENBANK/EU542019