The Delta SARS-CoV-2 variant has a higher viral load than the Beta and the historical variants in nasopharyngeal samples from newly diagnosed COVID-19 patients
Background Despite control of HIV infection under antiretroviral therapy (ART), immune T-cell activation persists in patients with controlled HIV infection, who are at higher risk of inflammatory ...diseases than the general population. PMNs play a key role in host defenses against invading microorganisms but also potentiate inflammatory reactions in cases of excessive or misdirected responses. Objective The aim of our study was to analyze PMN functions in 60 ART-treated and controlled HIV-infected patients (viral load, <20 RNA copies/mL; CD4 count, ≥350 cells/mm3 ) with (HIVI group) and without (HIVNI group) diseases related to an inflammatory process and to compare them with 22 healthy control subjects. Methods Flow cytometry was used to evaluate PMN functions in whole-blood conditions. We studied in parallel the activation markers of T lymphocytes and monocytes and the proinflammatory cytokine environment. Results Blood samples from HIV-infected patients revealed basal PMN hyperactivation associated with deregulation of the apoptosis/necrosis equilibrium. Interestingly, this hyperactivation was greater in HIV(I) than HIV(NI) patients and contrasted with a lack of monocyte activation in both groups. The percentage of circulating cells producing IL-17 was also significantly higher in HIV-infected patients than in control subjects and was positively correlated with markers of basal PMN activation. In addition, the detection of IL-22 overproduction in HIV(NI) patients suggests that it might contribute to counteracting chronic inflammatory processes during HIV infection. Conclusions This study thus demonstrates the presence of highly activated PMNs in HIV-infected patients receiving effective ART and the association of these cells with a specific IL-17/IL-22 environment.
HIV post- exposure prophylaxis (PEP) is a prevention tool for individuals with a recent potential exposure to HIV. Doravirine has been available since 2019 in combination with tenofovir disoproxil ...fumarate and lamivudine and has not been evaluated as a PEP. DOR/3TC/TDF is our department's most commonly prescribed PEP treatment since 2021. This study evaluates the completion rate of the DOR/3TC/TDF as compared to EVG/c/FTC/TAF for PEP, which was the regimen prescribed until 2020 in our hospital.
Mutations at HIV‐1 reverse transcriptase (RT) codon 184 such as M184V confer resistance to two nucleos(t)ide RT inhibitors (NRTI), lamivudine (3TC) and emtricitabine (FTC). The prevalence of ...mutations at HIV‐1 RT codon 184 was evaluated using three independent RT sequence databases from treatment‐experienced (TE) and treatment‐naïve (TN) individuals. Data were collected retrospectively from three centers: one in Italy and two in France between 1997 and 2016. In order to highlight the role of these mutations in conferring drug resistance, structural and thermodynamic analyses were conducted by means of computational approaches. Among 32,440 RT sequences isolated from TE and 12,365 isolated from TN patients, the prevalence of HIV‐1 RT codon 184 substitutions in each group was 31.21% and 0.72%, respectively. The mutations M184L and M184T have been observed only in TE patients. In all cases but four, M184L and M184T mutations were present during NRTI treatment. Molecular recognition studies on M184L and M184T structures showed both FTC and 3TC thermodynamic profiles unfavorable in comparison with the wild‐type sequence, corroborated by molecular dynamic simulations (MDS). In this study, we highlighted two new resistance mutations in vivo for NRTI resistance. The low frequency of this pathway can be related to high impairment of replicative capacity mediated by these mutations.
The HIV‐1 reverse transcriptase mutation M184V confers resistance to nucleos(t)ide RT inhibitors (NRTI), lamivudine, and emtricitabine. Using independent RT sequence databases, we found two new mutations: M184L (0.15%) and M184T (0.11%). In almost all cases, these mutations were present during NRTI treatment. Docking simulations with M184L and M184T showed lamivudine and emtricitabine thermodynamic profiles unfavorable in comparison with the wild‐type sequence. The low frequency of these mutations can be related to high impairment of replicative capacity mediated by these mutations.
•In real-life settings, virological rebound after DTG+3TC switch is very low.•M184V in a context of short virological suppression might affect DTG+3TC response.•Further ad hoc clinical trials on the ...role of M184V on DTG+3TC response are needed.
: The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of dolutegravir plus lamivudine (DTG+3TC) in a large set of virologically-suppressed HIV-1 infected individuals with or without past M184V mutation.
: This observational study included individuals who switched to DTG+3TC with ≥1 genotype before switch. Survival analysis was used to evaluate the role of past M184V on virological rebound (VR) or blips after DTG+3TC switch.
: 712 individuals followed in several clinical centers in France, Italy and Spain were analyzed. Past M184V was present in 60 (8.4%) individuals. By 3 years after switch the overall probability of VR and blips was 6.7% and 6.9%, respectively, without any statistical significance according to the presence/absence of past M184V. A significantly higher probability of VR was found in individuals harboring M184V before DTG+3TC with a duration of virological suppression (Ts) ≤.3.5 years compared to others (M184V+Ts ≤.3.5 years: 22.7%; M184M+Ts ≤.3.5 years: 9.0%; M184V+Ts >3.5 years: 7.8%; M184M+Ts >3.5 years: 4.9%; P=0.007). This finding was not confirmed in multivariable models adjusting for behavioral and demographic variables. Genotypic resistance test after VR under DTG+3TC was available for 8/39 individuals; one poorly adherent individual developed M184V. No resistance to INIs was found.
: In this retrospective observational study, the probability of VR and blips in patients switching to DTG+3TC was very low after 3 years of treatment regardless M184V. The impact of a short duration of previous virological suppression in individuals with M184V remains troubling and needs ad hoc clinical trials to be confirmed.
Integrase inhibitors (INIs) are a potent option for HIV treatment. Limited data exist on INI resistance in West Africa, particularly in children living with HIV/AIDS. We determined the prevalence of ...integrase gene polymorphisms and the frequency of naturally occurring amino acid (aa) substitutions at positions associated with INI resistance. Dried blood spot (DBS) samples were obtained from one hundred and seven (107) HIV-1-infected children aged less than 15 years old in two West African countries, Benin and Mali. All children were naïve to INI treatment, 56 were naïve to anti-retroviral therapy (ART), and 51 had received ART. Genetic sequencing of HIV integrase was successful in 75 samples. The aa changes at integrase positions associated with INI resistance were examined according to the Stanford HIV Genotypic Resistance database. The median ages were 2.6 and 10 years for ART-naïve and -treated children, respectively. The most common subtypes observed were CRF02_AG (74.7%) followed by CRF06_cpx (20%). No major INI-resistance mutations at positions 66, 92, 121, 143, 147, 148, 155, and 263 were detected. The most prevalent INI accessory resistance mutations were: L74I/M (14/75, 18.6%) followed by E157Q (8/75, 10.6%), G163E/N/T/Q (5/75, 6.6%), Q95A/H/P (2/75, 2.6%), and T97A (4/75, 5.3%). Other substitutions observed were M50I/L/P, H51E/P/S/Q, I72V, T112V, V201I, and T206S. Polymorphisms at positions which may influence the genetic barrier and/or drive the selection of specific INI-resistance pathways were detected. However, no transmitted drug resistance (TDR) to INI was detected among samples of INI-naïve patients. These findings support the use of this treatment class for children with HIV-1, particularly in West Africa.
Achievement of a cure for HIV infection might need reactivation of latent virus and improvement of HIV-specific immunity. As an initial step, in this trial we assessed the effect of antiretroviral ...therapy intensification and immune modulation with a DNA prime and recombinant adenovirus 5 (rAd5) boost vaccine.
In this multicentre, randomised, open-label, non-comparative, phase 2 clinical trial, we enrolled eligible adults 18-70 years of age with chronic HIV-1 infection on suppressive antiretroviral therapy with current CD4 count of at least 350 cells per μL and HIV DNA between 10 and 1000 copies per 10(6) peripheral blood mononuclear cells. After an 8 week lead-in of antiretroviral intensification therapy (standard dose raltegravir and dose-adjusted maraviroc based on baseline antiretroviral therapy), patients were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive antiretroviral therapy intensification alone or intensification plus injections of HIV DNA prime vaccine (4 mg VRC-HIVDNA016-00-VP) at weeks 8, 12, and 16, followed by HIV rAd5 boost vaccine (10(10) particle units of VRC-HIVADV014-00-VP) at week 32. Randomisation was computer generated in permuted blocks of six and was stratified by study site. The primary endpoint was a 0·5 log10 or greater decrease in HIV DNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells at week 56. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00976404.
Between Nov 29, 2010, and Oct 28, 2011, we enrolled 28 eligible patients from three academic HIV clinics in the USA. After the 8 week lead-in of antiretroviral intensification therapy, 14 patients were randomly assigned to continue antiretroviral therapy intensification alone and 14 to intensification plus vaccine. Enrolled participants had median CD4 count of 636 cells per μL, median HIV DNA 170 copies per 10(6) peripheral blood mononuclear cells, and duration of antiretroviral therapy of 13 years. The median amount of HIV DNA did not change significantly between baseline and week 56 in the antiretroviral therapy intensification plus vaccine group. One participant in the antiretroviral therapy intensification alone group reached the primary endpoint, with 0·55 log10 decrease in HIV DNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Both treatments were well tolerated. No severe or systemic reactions to vaccination occurred, and five serious adverse events were recorded during the study, most of which resolved spontaneously or were judged unrelated to study treatments.
Antiretroviral therapy intensification followed by DNA prime and rAd5 boost vaccine did not significantly increase HIV expression or reduce the latent HIV reservoir. A multifaceted approach that includes stronger activators of HIV expression and novel immune modulators will probably be needed to reduce the latent HIV reservoir and allow for long-term control in patients off antiretroviral therapy.
Objectif Recherche Vaccin SIDA (ORVACS).
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