SIV/HIV-1 hybrid virus expressing the reverse transcriptase gene of HIV-1 remains sensitive to HIV-1-specific reverse transcriptase inhibitors after passage in rhesus macaques

J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr Hum Retrovirol. 1997 May 1;15(1):1-4. doi: 10.1097/00042560-199705010-00001.

Abstract

We have previously described an animal model for the therapy of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection with HIV-1-specific reverse transcriptase (RT) inhibitors based on a simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV), in which the RT gene of SIV was replaced by the RT gene of HIV-1. In vitro, replication of the hybrid virus, RT-SHIV, was delayed compared with parental SIV. RT-SHIV could induce AIDS-like symptoms and pathologic alterations in rhesus macaques. Characterization of re-isolates recovered from RT-SHIV-infected macaques one-half year after infection revealed that the re-isolates replicated with kinetics similar to those of SIV. Inefficient processing of the Gag-Pol precursor of RT-SHIV may be one reason for the retarded growth of RT-SHIV, because the protease cleavage site between the protease gene and the RT gene was frequently mutated in the RT-SHIV re-isolates. Adaptation of RT-SHIV to the growth in macaques did not result in a relevant loss of sensitivity to nonnucleoside RT inhibitors (NNRTIs). However, because a minor sub-population of the RT-SHIV re-isolates contained a mutation conferring low-level resistance to ddI and ddC, the RT-SHIV/macaque model may underestimate the efficacy of these drugs. Nevertheless, this report further supports the suitability, reliability, and usefulness of the RT-SHIV/macaque model to investigate the antiviral properties of most RT inhibitors in an in vivo setting.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • HIV Reverse Transcriptase / genetics*
  • HIV-1 / drug effects*
  • Humans
  • Hybridization, Genetic
  • Macaca mulatta
  • Mutation
  • Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors / pharmacology*
  • Simian Immunodeficiency Virus / genetics*

Substances

  • Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors
  • HIV Reverse Transcriptase