Characterization of HIV-1 RNA forms in the plasma of patients undergoing successful HAART.

An assay to characterize plasma human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) sequences for patients with low viral loads was developed by combining the selective binding of anti-CD44 MicroBeads with a nested RT-PCR targeting the env C2V4 region. Sequences were obtained from 10 of 20 HIV+ patients who had viral loads below 48 copies/ml. Sequences derived from plasma were compared to those from CD14+ CD16 +monocytes and CD4+ T cells.

Meniscus allograft survival in patients with moderate to severe unicompartmental arthritis: a 2- to 7-year follow-up.

Purpose: We present meniscus allograft survival data at least 2 years from surgery for 45 patients (47 allografts) with significant arthrosis to determine if the meniscus can survive in an arthritic joint.

Type Of Study: Prospective, longitudinal survival study.

Methods: Data were collected for 31 men and 14 women, mean age 48 years (range, 14 to 69 years), with preoperative evidence of significant arthrosis and an Outerbridge classification greater than II.

Genetic characterization of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 Tat before and after highly active antiretroviral therapy.

Two HIV-infected individuals were followed for changes in the first exon of Tat. Plasma virus collected at 2 months after commencement of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) was compared with the virus collected before initiation of HAART. This short-term therapy significantly reduced the plasma viral burden and also helped modest CD4 recovery in the blood.

Influence of CD4+ T cell counts on viral evolution in HIV-infected individuals undergoing suppressive HAART.

We analyzed the viral C2-V4 envelope diversity, glycosylation patterns, and dS/dN ratios of plasma HIV-1 in an attempt to better understand the complex interaction between viral quasispecies and the host-selective pressures pre- and post-HAART. Phylogenetic analysis of the envelope gene of five patients revealed monophyletic clustering in patients with higher CD4+ T cell counts and sequence intermingling in those with lower CD4+ T cells in relation to the stage of HAART. Our analyses also showed clear shifts in N-linked glycosylation patterns in patients with higher CD4+ T cells, suggesting possible distinct immunological pressures pre- and post-HAART.

Changes in the human immunodeficiency virus V3 region that correspond with disease progression: a meta-analysis.

In order to determine the changes in the human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1) envelope that corresponds with disease progression, a meta-analysis of viral forms was performed using HIV-1 sequences obtained from GenBank. Studies were selected that included longitudinally derived V3 envelope region sequences from multiple time points along with CD4 values as a marker of disease progression. Studies with a total of 58 subjects, 327 time points, and 380,000 total amino acid residues were included in this meta-analysis.