Tuyển tập báo cáo các nghiên cứu khoa học quốc tế ngành y học dành cho các bạn tham khảo đề tài: Viral replication is enhanced by an HIV-1 intersubtype recombination-derived Vpu protein | De Candia et al. Virology Journal 2010 7 259 http content 7 1 259 VIROLOGY JOURNAL RESEARCH Open Access Viral replication is enhanced by an HIV-1 intersubtype recombination-derived Vpu protein Cristian De Candia Constanza Espada Gabriel Duette Yanina Ghiglione Gabriela Turk Horacio Salomon Mauricio Carobene Abstract Background Multiple HIV-1 intersubtype recombinants have been identified in human populations. Previous studies from our lab group have shown that the epidemic in Argentina is characterized by the high prevalence of a circulating recombinant form CRF12_BF and many related BF recombinant forms. In these genomic structures a recombination breakpoint frequently involved the vpu coding region. Due to the scarce knowledge of Vpu participation in the virion release process and its impact on pathogenesis and of the functional capacities of intersubtype recombinant Vpu proteins the aim of this work was to perform a comparative analysis on virion release capacity and relative replication capacity among viral variants harboring either a BF recombinant Vpu or a subtype B Vpu. Results Our results showed that BF recombinant Vpu was associated to an increased viral particles production when compared to WT B variant in tetherin-expressing cell lines. This observation was tested in the context of a competition assay between the above mentioned variants. The results showed that the replication of the BF Vpu-harboring variant was more efficient in cell cultures than subtype B reaching a higher frequency in the viral population in a short period of time. Conclusion This study showed that as a result of intersubtype recombination a structurally re-organized HIV-1 Vpu has an improved in vitro capacity of enhancing viral replication and provides evidence of the changes occurring in this protein function that could play an important role in the successful spread of intersubtype recombinant variants. Background Multiple HIV-1 intersubtype recombinants have .
