Neil Parkin

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA

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Publications (30)194.78 Total impact

  • Article: Interplay between single resistance-associated mutations in the HIV-1 protease and viral infectivity, protease activity, and inhibitor sensitivity.
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    ABSTRACT: Resistance-associated mutations in the HIV-1 protease modify viral fitness through changes in the catalytic activity and altered binding affinity for substrates and inhibitors. In this report, we examine the effects of 31 mutations at 26 amino acid positions in protease to determine their impact on infectivity and protease inhibitor sensitivity. We found that primary resistance mutations individually decrease fitness and generally increase sensitivity to protease inhibitors, indicating that reduced virion-associated protease activity reduces virion infectivity and the reduced level of per virion protease activity is then more easily titrated by a protease inhibitor. Conversely, mutations at more variable positions (compensatory mutations) confer low-level decreases in sensitivity to all protease inhibitors with little effect on infectivity. We found significant differences in the observed effect on infectivity with a pseudotype virus assay that requires the protease to cleave the cytoplasmic tail of the amphotropic murine leukemia virus (MuLV) Env protein. Additionally, we were able to mimic the fitness loss associated with resistance mutations by directly reducing the level of virion-associated protease activity. Virions containing 50% of a D25A mutant protease were 3- to 5-fold more sensitive to protease inhibitors. This level of reduction in protease activity also resulted in a 2-fold increase in sensitivity to nonnucleoside inhibitors of reverse transcriptase and a similar increase in sensitivity to zidovudine (AZT), indicating a pleiotropic effect associated with reduced protease activity. These results highlight the interplay between enzyme activity, viral fitness, and inhibitor mechanism and sensitivity in the closed system of the viral replication complex.
    Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy 11/2011; 56(2):623-33. · 4.84 Impact Factor
  • Article: Sequence and phenotypic analysis for resistance monitoring in hepatitis C virus drug development: recommendations from the HCV DRAG.
    Gastroenterology 01/2011; 140(3):755-60. · 11.68 Impact Factor
  • Article: Characterization of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 populations containing CXCR4-using variants from recently infected individuals.
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    ABSTRACT: We screened 150 individuals from two recent seroconverter cohorts and found that six (4%) had CXCR4-using viruses. Clonal analysis of these six individuals, along with a seventh individual identified during clinical care as a recent seroconverter, revealed the presence of both X4- and dual-tropic variants in these recently infected adults. The ability of individual CXCR4-using variants to infect cells expressing CD4/CXCR4 or CD4/CCR5 varied dramatically. These data demonstrate that virus populations in some newly infected individuals can consist of either heterogeneous populations containing both CXCR4-using and CCR5-tropic viruses, or homogeneous populations containing only CXCR4-using viruses. The presence of CXCR4-using viruses at early stages of infection suggests that testing for viral tropism before using CCR5 antagonists may be important even in persons with known recent infection. The presence of CXCR4-using viruses in a subset of newly infected individuals could impact the efficacies of vaccine and microbicide strategies that target CCR5-tropic viruses.
    AIDS research and human retroviruses 09/2009; 25(8):795-802. · 2.18 Impact Factor
  • Article: Comparison of laboratory methods for analysis of non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor resistance in Ugandan infants.
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    ABSTRACT: Detailed comparisons of HIV drug resistance assays are needed to identify the most useful assays for research studies, and to facilitate comparison of results from studies that use different methods. We analyzed nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) resistance in 40 HIV-infected Ugandan infants who had received nevirapine (NVP)-based prophylaxis using the following assays: an FDA-cleared HIV genotyping assay (the ViroSeq HIV-1 Genotyping System v2.0), a commercially available HIV genotyping assay (GeneSeq HIV), a commercially available HIV phenotyping assay (PhenoSense HIV), and a sensitive point mutation assay (LigAmp). ViroSeq and GeneSeq HIV results (NVP resistance yes/no) were similar for 38 (95%) of 40 samples. In 6 (15%) of 40 samples, GeneSeq HIV detected mutations in minor subpopulations that were not detected by ViroSeq, which identified two additional infants with NVP resistance. LigAmp detected low-level mutations in 12 samples that were not detected by ViroSeq; however, LigAmp testing identified only one additional infant with NVP resistance. GeneSeq HIV and PhenoSense HIV determinations of susceptibility differed for specific NNRTIs in 12 (31%) of the 39 samples containing mixtures at relevant mutation positions. PhenoSense HIV did not detect any infants with NVP resistance who were not identified with GeneSeq HIV testing. In this setting, population sequencing-based methods (ViroSeq and GeneSeq HIV) were the most informative and had concordant results for 95% of the samples. LigAmp was useful for the detection and quantification of minority variants. PhenoSense HIV provided a direct and quantitative measure of NNRTI susceptibility.
    AIDS research and human retroviruses 08/2009; 25(7):657-63. · 2.18 Impact Factor
  • Article: Vertical transmission of X4-tropic and dual-tropic HIV-1 in five Ugandan mother-infant pairs.
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    ABSTRACT: We previously reported the existence of CXCR4-using HIV-1 in 6-14 week-old Ugandan infants. Whether these viruses were transmitted from the mother perinatally or evolved after transmission is not known. In the current study, we investigated the origin of the CXCR4-using viruses in these infants by comparing HIV-1 envelope clones from the infants to those from their mothers at or near the time of delivery. Envelope clones were isolated from five Ugandan infant plasma samples that harbored CXCR4-using viruses, collected at the time of HIV diagnosis (four at birth, one at week 6), and from their mothers at delivery. Coreceptor usage and phylogenetic relatedness of HIV-1 populations in mother-infant pairs were analyzed in detail using the Trofile assay and sequence analysis of envelope clones, respectively. X4-tropic clones were identified in two mother-infant pairs and dual-tropic clones were found in three pairs, either alone or in combination with R5-tropic viruses. Dual-tropic clones varied in their ability to infect CXCR4-expressing cells. In each mother-infant pair, X4-tropic or dual-tropic clones shared similar phenotypic profiles and V3 sequence patterns; gp160 sequences of X4-tropic and dual-tropic clones from infants were phylogenetically indistinguishable from those of their mothers. The virus populations were phylogenetically homogenous in three infants and segregated according to coreceptor tropism in the remaining two infants. This study demonstrates that X4-tropic and dual-tropic HIV-1 can be transmitted from mother to infant, before, during or shortly after delivery, and establishes vertical transmission as an important source of CXCR4-using viruses in infants.
    AIDS (London, England) 08/2009; 23(14):1903-8. · 4.91 Impact Factor
  • Article: Antiretroviral drug susceptibility among drug-naive adults with recent HIV infection in Rakai, Uganda.
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    ABSTRACT: To analyze antiretroviral drug susceptibility in HIV from recently infected adults in Rakai, Uganda, prior to the availability of antiretroviral drug treatment. Samples obtained at the time of HIV seroconversion (1998-2003) were analyzed using the GeneSeq HIV and PhenoSense HIV assays (Monogram Biosciences, Inc., South San Francisco, California, USA). Test results were obtained for 104 samples (subtypes: 26A, 1C, 66D, 9A/D, 1C/D, 1 intersubtype recombinant). Mutations used for genotypic surveillance of transmitted antiretroviral drug resistance were identified in six samples: three had nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI) surveillance mutations (two had M41L, one had K219R), and three had protease inhibitor surveillance mutations (I47V, F53L, N88D); none had nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) surveillance mutations. Other resistance-associated mutations were identified in some samples. However, none of the samples had a sufficient number of mutations to predict reduced antiretroviral drug susceptibility. Ten (9.6%) of the samples had reduced phenotypic susceptibility to at least one drug (one had partial susceptibility to didanosine, one had nevirapine resistance, and eight had resistance or partial susceptibility to at least one protease inhibitor). Fifty-three (51%) of the samples had hypersusceptibility to at least one drug (seven had zidovudine hypersusceptibility, 28 had NNRTI hypersusceptibility, 34 had protease inhibitor hypersusceptibility). Delavirdine hypersusceptibility was more frequent in subtype A than D. In subtype D, efavirenz hypersusceptibility was associated with substitutions at codon 11 in HIV-reverse transcriptase. Phenotyping detected reduced antiretroviral drug susceptibility and hypersusceptibility in HIV from some antiretroviral-naive Ugandan adults that was not predicted by genotyping. Phenotyping may complement genotyping for analysis of antiretroviral drug susceptibility in populations with nonsubtype B HIV infection.
    AIDS (London, England) 04/2009; 23(7):845-52. · 4.91 Impact Factor
  • Article: Sensitivity of phenotypic susceptibility analyses for nonthymidine nucleoside analogues conferred by K65R or M184V in mixtures with wild-type HIV-1.
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    ABSTRACT: Thymidine-sparing triple-nucleoside regimens have exhibited poor virologic response despite apparent phenotypic susceptibility to 2 of 3 regimen components at early time points. Phenotypic resistance masking by wild-type virus may explain this discrepancy.Consistent with this notion were (1) the presence of low level nucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitor-resistant human immunodeficiency virus in subjects receiving failing first-line regimens consisting of tenofovir (TDF), abacavir (ABC), and lamivudine (3TC); (2) lower fold resistance associated with mixtures versus mutants in a clinical-isolate database; and (3) dose dependent changes in susceptibility to ABC, 3TC, TDF, and didanosine on titration of K65R and/or M184V with wild-type virus. These findings underscore the limitations of stand-alone phenotypic susceptibility measures and emphasize the importance of complementary and/or more sensitive techniques.
    The Journal of Infectious Diseases 12/2008; 199(1):84-8. · 6.41 Impact Factor
  • Article: Suppression of dualtropic human immunodeficiency virus type 1 by the CXCR4 antagonist AMD3100 is associated with efficiency of CXCR4 use and baseline virus composition.
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    ABSTRACT: In a phase I/II evaluation of the CXCR4 antagonist AMD3100, human immunodeficiency virus RNA levels were significantly reduced in a single study subject who harbored CXCR4 (X4)-tropic virus, but not in subjects who harbored either dual/mixed (DM)-tropic or CCR5 (R5)-tropic virus (C. W. Hendrix et al., J. Acquir. Immune Defic. Syndr. 37:1253-1262, 2004). In this study, we analyzed the envelope clones of DM-tropic virus in baseline and treated virus populations from 14 subjects. Ten subjects exhibited significant reductions in CXCR4-mediated infectivity after 10 days of AMD3100 therapy relative to baseline (X4 suppressor group), while four subjects had no reduction of CXCR4-mediated infectivity (X4 nonsuppressor group). The baseline viruses of the X4 suppressor group infected CXCR4-expressing cells less efficiently than those of the X4 nonsuppressor group. Clonal analysis indicated that the baseline viruses from the X4 suppressor group contained a higher proportion of R5-tropic variants mixed with CXCR4-using variants, while the X4 nonsuppressor group was enriched for CXCR4-using variants. AMD3100 suppressed X4-tropic variants in all subjects studied, but not all dualtropic variants. Furthermore, dualtropic variants that used CXCR4 efficiently were suppressed by AMD3100, while dualtropic variants that used CXCR4 poorly were not. This study demonstrated that AMD3100 has the ability to suppress both X4-tropic and certain dualtropic variants in vivo. The suppression of CXCR4-using variants by AMD3100 is dependent on both the tropism composition of the virus population and the efficiency of CXCR4 usage of individual variants.
    Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy 08/2008; 52(7):2608-15. · 4.84 Impact Factor
  • Article: Coreceptor tropism can be influenced by amino acid substitutions in the gp41 transmembrane subunit of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 envelope protein.
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    ABSTRACT: Many studies have demonstrated that the third variable region (V3) of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) envelope protein (Env) is a major determinant of coreceptor tropism. Other regions in the surface gp120 subunit of Env can modulate coreceptor tropism in a manner that is not fully understood. In this study, we evaluated the effect of env determinants outside of V3 on coreceptor usage through the analysis of (i) patient-derived env clones that differ in coreceptor tropism, (ii) chimeric env sequences, and (iii) site-directed mutants. The introduction of distinct V3 sequences from CXCR4-using clones into an R5-tropic env backbone conferred the inefficient use of CXCR4 in some but not all cases. Conversely, in many cases, X4- and dual-tropic env backbones containing the V3 sequences of R5-tropic clones retained the ability to use CXCR4, suggesting that sequences outside of the V3 regions of these CXCR4-using clones were responsible for CXCR4 use. The determinants of CXCR4 use in a set of dual-tropic env sequences with V3 sequences identical to those of R5-tropic clones mapped to the gp41 transmembrane (TM) subunit. In one case, a single-amino-acid substitution in the fusion peptide of TM was able to confer CXCR4 use; however, TM substitutions associated with CXCR4 use varied among different env sequences. These results demonstrate that sequences in TM can modulate coreceptor specificity and that env sequences other than that of V3 may facilitate efficient CXCR4-mediated entry. We hypothesize that the latter plays an important role in the transition from CCR5 to CXCR4 coreceptor use.
    Journal of Virology 07/2008; 82(11):5584-93. · 5.40 Impact Factor
  • Article: HIV-1 tropism and survival in vertically infected Ugandan infants.
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    ABSTRACT: Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) may utilize the CXCR4 coreceptor (X4 virus), the CCR5 coreceptor (R5 virus), or both (dual/mixed [DM] virus). We analyzed HIV-1 coreceptor tropism in Ugandan infants enrolled in the HIVNET (HIV Network for Prevention Trials) 012 trial. Plasma or serum was analyzed using a commercial coreceptor tropism assay. HIV env subtype was determined by phylogenetic methods. Tropism results were obtained for 57 samples from infants collected 6-14 weeks after birth. Fifty-two infants had only R5 virus, and 5 had either X4 or DM virus. The mothers of those 5 infants also had X4 or DM virus. In infants, subtype D infection was associated with high-level infectivity in CCR5-bearing cells and also with the detection of X4 or DM strains. High-level infectivity in CCR5-bearing cells was associated with decreased infant survival, but infection with X4 or DM virus was not. HIV clones from infants with DM viral populations showed different patterns of coreceptor use. V3 loop sequence-based algorithms predicted the tropism of some, but not all, env clones. Complex patterns of HIV tropism were found in HIV-infected newborn infants. Subtype D infection was associated with X4 virus and with high-level replication in CCR5-bearing cells. High-level replication of R5 virus was associated with decreased infant survival.
    The Journal of Infectious Diseases 06/2008; 197(10):1382-8. · 6.41 Impact Factor
  • Article: HIV type 1 variants with nevirapine resistance mutations are rarely detected in antiretroviral drug-naive African women with subtypes A, C, and D.
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    ABSTRACT: K103N is frequently detected in HIV-infected women after single dose (SD) nevirapine (NVP). K103N-containing variants were detected more frequently by the ViroSeq HIV-1 Genotyping System in women with subtype C (69.2%) than subtypes A (19.4%, p < 0.0001) or D (36.1%, p < 0.0001). K103N-containing variants were also detected more frequently and at higher levels in women with subtype C by the LigAmp assay. In this report, we analyzed samples collected prior to or within hours after SD NVP administration from antiretroviral drug-naive African women with subtypes A, C, and D. Only 1/254 samples had an NVP resistance mutation detected with the ViroSeq system, and only 4/236 samples had K103N detected at < 0.5% with the LigAmp assay [2/110 (1.8%) with subtype A, 1/46 (2.2%) with subtype C, and 1/80 (1.3%) with subtype D] (p = 0.92). We did not detect significant differences in the pre-NVP frequency of NVP resistance mutations or the pre-NVP levels of K103N-containing variants in women with subtypes A, C, and D that explain the dramatic subtype-based differences in emergence of HIV-1 variants with these mutations after SD NVP exposure.
    AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses 06/2007; 23(6):764-8. · 2.25 Impact Factor
  • Article: Identification and structural characterization of I84C and I84A mutations that are associated with high-level resistance to human immunodeficiency virus protease inhibitors and impair viral replication.
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    ABSTRACT: Two novel human immunodeficiency virus protease mutations, I84C and I84A, were identified in patient isolates. The mutants with I84C displayed high-level resistance (median, at least 56-fold) to nelfinavir and saquinavir, but the majority remained susceptible to lopinavir. In contrast, isolates with the I84A mutation exhibited>or=33-fold median increased levels of resistance to nelfinavir, indinavir, amprenavir, ritonavir, lopinavir, saquinavir, and atazanavir. Isolates with the I84A or I84C mutation tended to be more resistant than the isolates with the I84V mutation. Modeling of the structure of the mutant proteases indicated that the I84V, I84C, and I84A mutations all create unoccupied volume in the active site, with I84A introducing the greatest change in the accessible surface area from that of the wild-type structure.
    Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy 03/2007; 51(2):732-5. · 4.84 Impact Factor
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    Article: A novel substrate-based HIV-1 protease inhibitor drug resistance mechanism.
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    ABSTRACT: HIV protease inhibitor (PI) therapy results in the rapid selection of drug resistant viral variants harbouring one or two substitutions in the viral protease. To combat PI resistance development, two approaches have been developed. The first is to increase the level of PI in the plasma of the patient, and the second is to develop novel PI with high potency against the known PI-resistant HIV protease variants. Both approaches share the requirement for a considerable increase in the number of protease mutations to lead to clinical resistance, thereby increasing the genetic barrier. We investigated whether HIV could yet again find a way to become less susceptible to these novel inhibitors. We have performed in vitro selection experiments using a novel PI with an increased genetic barrier (RO033-4649) and demonstrated selection of three viruses 4- to 8-fold resistant to all PI compared to wild type. These PI-resistant viruses did not have a single substitution in the viral protease. Full genomic sequencing revealed the presence of NC/p1 cleavage site substitutions in the viral Gag polyprotein (K436E and/or I437T/V) in all three resistant viruses. These changes, when introduced in a reference strain, conferred PI resistance. The mechanism leading to PI resistance is enhancement of the processing efficiency of the altered substrate by wild-type protease. Analysis of genotypic and phenotypic resistance profiles of 28,000 clinical isolates demonstrated the presence of these NC/p1 cleavage site mutations in some clinical samples (codon 431 substitutions in 13%, codon 436 substitutions in 8%, and codon 437 substitutions in 10%). Moreover, these cleavage site substitutions were highly significantly associated with reduced susceptibility to PI in clinical isolates lacking primary protease mutations. Furthermore, we used data from a clinical trial (NARVAL, ANRS 088) to demonstrate that these NC/p1 cleavage site changes are associated with virological failure during PI therapy. HIV can use an alternative mechanism to become resistant to PI by changing the substrate instead of the protease. Further studies are required to determine to what extent cleavage site mutations may explain virological failure during PI therapy.
    PLoS Medicine 02/2007; 4(1):e36. · 16.27 Impact Factor
  • Article: Differential impact of thymidine analogue mutations on emtricitabine and lamivudine susceptibility.
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    ABSTRACT: The impact of drug resistance-associated mutations on subsequent antiretroviral therapy is an important consideration in managing treatment-experienced, HIV-1-infected patients. Lamivudine (3TC) and emtricitabine (FTC) are structurally related nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) approved for use in HIV-1-infected individuals. To evaluate whether susceptibility differences exist between lamivudine and emtricitabine, the phenotypic impact of common NRTI resistance-associated mutations was compared in HIV-1 from patient samples with paired FTC and 3TC susceptibility results. FTC phenotypic susceptibility was more greatly impacted than 3TC susceptibility in the presence of thymidine analogue mutations (TAMs), as the mean fold-change values were higher for FTC than for 3TC in groups of samples containing TAMs (P < 0.001 for 6 of 7 groups). For samples with K65R, L74I/V, or Q151M mutations, the phenotypic impact was similar, as the mean fold-change was not significantly different between drugs. Although the long-term clinical significance of these differences is unclear, they may suggest differential efficacy in some patients with prior NRTI experience, especially those with HIV harboring TAMs.
    JAIDS Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes 12/2006; 43(5):567-70. · 4.43 Impact Factor
  • Article: Association between the replication capacity and mother-to-child transmission of HIV-1, in antiretroviral drug-naive Malawian women.
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    ABSTRACT: Replication capacity and transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 in antiretroviral drug-naive Malawian women who had subtype C infection were investigated. Infant children of these women received either 1 dose of nevirapine or 1 dose of nevirapine plus 1 week of daily doses of zidovudine. PhenoSense HIV was used to determine replication capacity in 49 women whose infants were infected with HIV-1 and in 47 women whose infants were uninfected by 6-8 weeks of age. Mean replication capacity was higher in transmitters than in nontransmitters (P=.01). In a multivariate model, higher replication capacity was associated with transmission (odds ratio, 1.45 for each 10% increase in replication capacity [95% confidence interval, 1.11-1.90]; P = .0063), after adjustment for maternal HIV-1 load and other factors.
    The Journal of Infectious Diseases 07/2006; 193(11):1512-5. · 6.41 Impact Factor
  • Article: Phenotypic drug resistance patterns in subtype A HIV-1 clones with nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase resistance mutations.
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    ABSTRACT: We analyzed the nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase (RT) inhibitor (NNRTI) susceptibility of 29 subtype A HIV-1 clones isolated from 10 Ugandan women after single-dose nevirapine (NVP) administration. Six clones had no NNRTI resistance-associated mutations ("wild type"), eight had K103N, nine had Y181C, five had G190A, and one had Y181S. Three clones displayed unexpected phenotypic drug susceptibility/resistance based on their RT genotypes. One wild-type clone had reduced susceptibility to NVP, delavirdine (DLV), and efavirenz (EFV), one clone with K103N was susceptible to all three NNRTIs, and one clone with G190A had extreme hypersusceptibility to DLV. Three unusual HIV-1 RT amino acid substitutions may have contributed to the unexpected phenotypes of the clones: I31T, N136S, and N265D. These polymorphisms were rarely detected among 47,900 HIV-1 genotypes from clinical samples of predominantly United States origin. Further studies are needed to define the genetic correlates of antiretroviral drug resistance in nonsubtype B HIV-1.
    AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses 04/2006; 22(3):289-93. · 2.25 Impact Factor
  • Article: Adherence-resistance relationships for protease and non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors explained by virological fitness.
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    ABSTRACT: To compare the prevalence of resistance by adherence level in patients treated with non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTI) or protease inhibitors (PI). Also to examine the mechanism of differential class-specific adherence-resistance relationships, focusing on the patient-derived capacity of wild-type and drug-resistant recombinant variants to replicate in vitro in the presence of variable drug levels. Participants received unannounced pill count measures to assess adherence, viral load monitoring, and genotypic resistance testing. The replicative capacity of drug-susceptible and drug-resistant recombinants was determined using a single-cycle recombinant phenotypic susceptibility assay. Drug exposure was estimated using population-averaged pharmacological measurements adjusted by participant-specific levels of adherence. In the NNRTI-treated group, 69% had resistance at 0-48% adherence compared to 13% at 95-100% (P = 0.01). PI resistance was less common than NNRTI resistance at 0-48% adherence (69% versus 23%; P = 0.01). In multivariate analysis, the odds for PI resistance increased (P = 0.03) while the odds for NNRTI resistance decreased (P = 0.04) with improving adherence. Individuals with drug-resistant variants were more likely to have levels of drug exposure where the resistant variant was more fit than the drug-susceptible variant in vitro, while those with drug-susceptible virus were more likely to have levels of drug exposure where the drug-susceptible virus was more fit than the drug-resistant variant (P = 0.005). NNRTI resistance was more common than PI resistance at low levels of adherence. Class-specific adherence-resistance relationships are associated with the relative replicative capacity of drug-resistant versus wild-type variants to replicate in the presence of clinically relevant drug levels.
    AIDS 02/2006; 20(2):223-31. · 6.24 Impact Factor
  • Article: Evolution of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 protease genotypes and phenotypes in vivo under selective pressure of the protease inhibitor ritonavir.
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    ABSTRACT: We examined the population dynamics of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 pro variants during the evolution of resistance to the protease inhibitor ritonavir (RTV) in vivo. pro variants were followed in subjects who had added RTV to their previously failed reverse transcriptase inhibitor therapy using a heteroduplex tracking assay designed to detect common resistance-associated mutations. In most cases the initial variant appeared rapidly within 2 to 3 months followed by one or more subsequent population turnovers. Some of the subsequent transitions between variants were rapid, and some were prolonged with the coexistence of multiple variants. In several cases variants without resistance mutations persisted despite the emergence of new variants with an increasing number of resistance-associated mutations. Based on the rate of turnover of pro variants in the RTV-treated subjects we estimated that the mean fitness of newly emerging variants was increased 1.2-fold (range, 1.02 to 1.8) relative to their predecessors. A subset of pro genes was introduced into infectious molecular clones. The corresponding viruses displayed impaired replication capacity and reduced susceptibility to RTV. A subset of these clones also showed increased susceptibility to two nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors and the protease inhibitor saquinavir. Finally, a significant correlation between the reduced replication capacity and reduced processing at the gag NC-p1 processing site was noted. Our results reveal a complexity of patterns in the evolution of resistance to a protease inhibitor. In addition, these results suggest that selection for resistance to one protease inhibitor can have pleiotropic effects that can affect fitness and susceptibility to other drugs.
    Journal of Virology 09/2005; 79(16):10638-49. · 5.40 Impact Factor
  • Article: Analysis of PTAP duplications in the gag p6 region of subtype C HIV type 1.
    AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses 09/2005; 21(8):739-41. · 2.25 Impact Factor
  • Article: Genetic linkage of nevirapine resistance mutations in HIV type 1 seven days after single-dose nevirapine.
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    ABSTRACT: The HIVNET 012 trial in Uganda demonstrated that a regimen of single-dose nevirapine (NVP) can prevent HIV-1 mother-to-child transmission. Previous studies show that HIV-1 with one or more NVP resistance (NVPR) mutations can be selected in many women as early as 7 days after single-dose NVP. We evaluated the genetic linkage of NVPR mutations in plasma from women in HIVNET 012 collected 7 days after single-dose NVP administration. The HIV-1 pol region was amplified and cloned from 20 plasma samples (16 with NVPR mutations detected by population sequencing and 4 with no NVPR mutations detected), and 10 clones from each sample were sequenced. Up to five different NVPR mutations were detected in clones from a single sample. K103N and Y181C were the most common mutations detected. Clones with two genetically linked mutations were detected in four samples. Different combinations of NVPR mutations were linked in individual clones, but none of the clones contained both K103N and Y181C. Further studies are needed to evaluate whether selection of minority variants with one or more NVPR mutations after single-dose NVP is clinically relevant.
    AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses 05/2005; 21(4):319-24. · 2.25 Impact Factor