12th International AIDS Conference Geneva, Switzerland - June 28-July 3, 1998

Int Conf AIDS 1998 Jun 28-Jul 3; 12:12 (abstract no. 11149)

Zverev V, Matsevich GR, Ryzhov KA, Borzykh OA, Sukhanova LL, Grinev AA, Goltsov VA
Institute of Viral Preparations, Moscow, Russia.

OBJECTIVES: To study Nef gene product role in CD4 receptor degradation and HIV infection clinical manifestation.

METHODS: PCR, RT-PCR, electrophoresis, ELISA, immunoblot, restriction analysis.

RESULTS: While defining the primary structure of HIV-1 specific RNA and DNA of HIV infected of different infection stages by PCR methods we found the presence of about 130 nucleotide pairs deletion in Nef gene of HIV specific RNA. Such deletions were always found in HIV RNA from AIDS patients blood samples and laboratory low/slow HIV-1 isolates obtained from AIDS patients. However such deletions were not found in RNA obtained from blood samples of HIV carriers of both non-symtomatic and generalized lymphoadenopathy stages. DNA PCR-analysis revealed the analogous deletion in the trace proportion of cases only. The sequence analysis data testified that the RNA deletion might be formed by alternative splicing mechanism. Besides, it was demonstrated in culture that recombinant full-sized Nef polypeptide bound both HIV infected and HIV uninfected T-lymphocytes cells expressing CD4 receptor causing their apoptotic cytolysis. Nef polypeptide with deletion had not got such effect. Nef gene product role in HIV infected cells apoptotic cytolysis will be discussed.

CONCLUSIONS: Nef gene increased variability may be one of the factors of HIV infection transition from non-symptom to manifestation form.

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