Sequence Analysis of C2-V3 Region of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 gp120 and its Correlation with Clinical Significance : the Effect of Long-Term Intake of Korean Red Ginseng on env Gene Variation

ABSTRACT

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) phenotype plays an important role in the pathogenesis of AIDS. The presence of syncytium-inducing (SI) HIV-1 isolates in infected persons is associated with a rapid decline of CD4+T cells (CD4+), rapid disease progression, and reduced survival time after AIDS diagnosis. We have reported the effects of Korean red ginseng (KRG) on HIV-1 infected patients. To investigate whether KRG affects HIV-1 at gene level and there is a correlation between genotype and decline of CD4+, the C2-V3 region of env gene from 65 HIV-1 isolates were cloned and sequenced. Distributions of subtype were subtype B 57 (88%), subtype A 4 (6%), subtype C 2 (3%), subtype G 1 (2%), and subtype H 1 (2%). The prevalences of SI according to the number of CD4+ are as follows; 40% (6/15) in CD4+ 200/ul. Seventy-five percent (6/8) of SI were detected in rapid progressor with the decline of CD4+ over 60/ul per year. The correlation between SI genotype and the detection of immune complex dissociated (ICD) p24 antigen was significant (p<0.001). In the 40 patients followed-up over 60 months by CD4+, there was significant correlation between annual decrease of CD4+ and duration of KRG intake (R=-0.380, p<0.01), whereas no correlation between CD4+ and zidovudine (ZDV) was observed. The intrapatient variation of amino acid level showed significant inverse correlation with the months of KRG intake (R=-0.47, p<0.01). These results suggest that the determination of genotype by C2- V3 sequencing may be used for the evaluation of prognosis of AIDS patient, and long-term intake of KRG may prevent or delay the progression from NSI to SI.