Application of transcription mediated amplification and real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction in detection of human immunodeficiency virus RNA / 中南大学学报(医学版)

ABSTRACT

Objective:To observe the sensitivity of transcription mediated amplification (TMA),and to compare its performance with real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (real-time RT-PCR) in detecting human immunodeficiency virus RNA (HIV RNA).Methods:TMA system was established with TaqMan probes,specific primers,moloney murine leukemia virus (MMLV) reverse transcriptase,T7 RNA polymerase,and reaction substrates.The sensitivity of TMA was evaluated by amplifying a group of 10-fold diluted HIV RNA standards which were transcribed in vitro.A total of 60 plasma of HIV infected patients were measured by TMA and Cobas Amplicor HIV-1 Monitor test to observe the positive rate.The correlation and concordance of the above two technologies were investigated by linear regression and BlandAltman analysis.Results:TMA system was established successfully and HIV RNA transcribed standards at concentration of equal or more than 10 copies/mL could be detected by TMA technology.Among 60 samples of plasma from HIV infected patients,46 were positively detected and 12 were negatively amplified by both TMA and Cobas reagents;2 samples were positively tested by Cobas reagent but negatively tested by TMA system.The concordance rate of the two methods was 97.1％ and the difference of positive detection rate between the two methods was not statistically significant (P＞0.05).Linear regression was used for 46 samples which were positively detected by both TMA and Cobas reagents and showed an excellent correlation between the two reagents (r=0.997,P＜0.001).Bland-Altma analysis revealed that the mean different value ofHIV RNA levels for denary logarithm was 0.02.Forty-four samples were included in 95％ of credibility interval of concordance.Conclusion:TMA system has the potential of high sensitivity.TMA and real-time RT-PCR keep an excellent correlation and consistency in detecting HIV RNA.