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Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, April 2000, p. 920-928, Vol. 44, No. 4
ViroLogic, Inc., South San Francisco,
California 94080
Received 27 September 1999/Returned for modification 1 December
1999/Accepted 5 January 2000
Although combination antiretroviral therapy has resulted in a
considerable improvement in the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) type 1 (HIV-1) infection, the emergence of resistant virus
is a significant obstacle to the effective management of HIV infection
and AIDS. We have developed a novel phenotypic drug susceptibility
assay that may be useful in guiding therapy and improving long-term
suppression of HIV replication. Susceptibility to protease (PR) and
reverse transcriptase (RT) inhibitors is measured by using resistance
test vectors (RTVs) that contain a luciferase indicator gene and PR and
RT sequences derived from HIV-1 in patient plasma. Cells are
transfected with RTV DNA, resulting in the production of virus
particles that are used to infect target cells. Since RTVs are
replication defective, luciferase activity is measured following a
single round of replication. The assay has been automated to increase
throughput and is completed in 8 to 10 days. Test results may be useful
in facilitating the selection of optimal treatment regimens for
patients who have failed prior therapy or drug-naive patients infected
with drug-resistant virus. In addition, the assay can be used to
evaluate candidate drugs and assist in the development of new drugs
that are active against resistant strains of HIV-1.
0066-4804/00/$04.00+0
Copyright © 2000, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.
A Novel Phenotypic Drug Susceptibility Assay for
Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1
and
*
Corresponding author. Mailing address: 270 East Grand
Ave., South San Francisco, CA 94080. Phone: (650) 866-7439. Fax: (650) 635-1111. E-mail: cpetropoulos{at}virologic.com.
Present address: Genetic Information Systems, Inc., Hillsborough,
CA 94010.
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