HIV-1 replication and immune dynamics are affected by raltegravir intensification of HAART-suppressed subjects.

Abstract

Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) results in potent and durable suppression of HIV-1 viremia. However, HIV-1 replication resumes if therapy is interrupted. Although it is generally believed that active replication has been halted in individuals on HAART, immune activation and inflammation continue at abnormal levels, suggesting continued, low-level viral replication. To assess whether active replication might be driving immune activation in HAART, we examined the impact of treatment intensification with the integrase inhibitor raltegravir on viral complementary DNA and immune activation parameters. In the presence of raltegravir, linear HIV-1 cDNA is prevented from integrating into chromatin and is subsequently converted to episomal cDNAs. Raltegravir intensification of a three-drug suppressive HAART regimen resulted in a specific and transient increase in episomal DNAs in a large percentage of HAART-suppressed subjects. Furthermore, in subjects with these episomal DNAs, immune activation was higher at baseline and was subsequently normalized after raltegravir intensification. These results suggest that, despite suppressive HAART, active replication persists in some infected individuals and drives immune activation. The ability of raltegravir intensification to perturb the reservoir that supports active replication has implications for therapeutic strategies aimed at achieving viral eradication.

• Authors: Maria J Buzón, Marta Massanella, Josep M Llibre, Anna Esteve, Viktor Dahl, Maria C Puertas, Josep M Gatell, Pere Domingo, Roger Paredes, Mark Sharkey, Sarah Palmer, Mario Stevenson, Bonaventura Clotet, Julià Blanco, Javier Martinez-Picado
• Journal: Nature medicine (Nat Med) Vol. 16 Issue 4 Pg. 460-5 (Apr 2010) ISSN: 1546-170X [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 20228817 (Publication Type: Letter, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• DNA, Complementary
• DNA, Viral
• HIV Integrase Inhibitors
• Pyrrolidinones
• Raltegravir Potassium

Topics

• Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active
• DNA, Complementary (genetics)
• DNA, Viral (genetics)
• HIV Infections (drug therapy, immunology, virology)
• HIV Integrase Inhibitors (pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• HIV Long Terminal Repeat (drug effects, genetics)
• HIV-1 (drug effects, immunology, physiology)
• Humans
• Polymerase Chain Reaction
• Pyrrolidinones (pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Raltegravir Potassium
• Virus Integration (drug effects)
• Virus Replication (drug effects, physiology)