Open AccessIdentification of HIV-1 genitourinary tract compartmentalization by analyzing the env gene sequences in urine
Author(s) -
Maria Di Blasi,
J. Harris Carpenter,
Bala S. Balakumaran,
Andrea Cara,
Feng Gao,
Mary E. Klotman
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
aids
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.195
H-Index - 216
eISSN - 1473-5571
pISSN - 0269-9370
DOI - 10.1097/qad.0000000000000757
Subject(s) - biology , virology , peripheral blood mononuclear cell , urine , viremia , genitourinary system , virus , genetics , biochemistry , anatomy , in vitro
HIV-1 persists indefinitely in memory CD4 T cells and other long-lived cellular reservoirs despite antiretroviral therapy. Our group had previously demonstrated that HIV-1 can establish a productive infection in renal epithelial cells and that the kidney represents a separate compartment for HIV-1 replication. Here, to better understand the viruses in this unique site, we genetically characterized and compared the viruses in blood and urine specimens from 24 HIV-1 infected patients with detectable viremia.