Mutational Resistance Pattern of HIV Type 1 in CD14+ Monocytes, CD4+ T Cells, and Plasma from Treated Patients

Abstract It is necessary to understand the molecular nature of the virus population that persists in cellular reservoirs. To achieve this we planned to characterize the patterns of resistance of HIV-1 in CD14+ monocytes, CD4+ T cells, and plasma. Blood samples were collected from 42 patients treated for HIV: 32 were in virological failure and in 10 viremia was undetectable. CD14+ and CD4+ T cells were isolated using magnetic beads. Genotyping of the reverse transcriptase and protease gene of HIV-1 was undertaken using the fluorescent dideoxy-terminator method. Of the 32 patients in virological failure, 24 (75%) had resistance mutations in at least one compartment. The numbers and types of mutations from monocytes were the same as those detected in both CD4+ T cell-associated virus and plasma in only 8% whereas in 71% monocytes exhibited a different mutation pattern. In 21% of patients, the profile of drug-resistant mutations in the virus from blood monocytes was identical to that in plasma but differed fr...