J Korean Med Sci.  2014 Mar;29(3):456-459. 10.3346/jkms.2014.29.3.456.

Characterization of Gp41 Polymorphisms in the Fusion Peptide Domain and T-20 (Enfuvirtide) Resistance-Associated Regions in Korean HIV-1 Isolates

• Jang DH
• Yoon CH
• Choi BS
• Chung YS
• Kim HY
• Chi SG
• Kim SS

• KMID: 1734938
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2014.29.3.456

Abstract

HIV-1 gp41 is an envelope protein that plays an essential role in virus entry. The mutation of gp41 affects HIV-1 entry and susceptibility to the fusion inhibitor T-20. Therefore, we analyzed the natural polymorphism of gp41 of 163 HIV-1 isolates from T-20-naive Koreans infected with HIV-1. This study of gp41 polymorphisms showed that insertions in the fourth threonine (74.8%) and L7M substitutions (85.3%) were more frequent in the fusion peptide motif in Korean HIV-1 isolates compared with those from other countries. Minor T-20 resistance mutations such as L45M (1.2%), N126K (1.2%), and E137K (6.7%) were detected, but the critical T-20 resistance mutations were not detected in the gp41 HR1 and HR2 regions. In addition, the N42S mutation (12.9%) associated with T-20 hypersusceptibility was detected at a high frequency. These results may serve as useful data for studies considering T-20 for use in the development of a more effective anti-retroviral treatment in Korea.

Keyword

Fusion Inhibitor; Fusion Peptide; Gp41 Polymorphism; HIV-1 Envelope Glycoprotein; T-20 Resistance Mutation

MeSH Terms

Anti-HIV Agents/pharmacology
Drug Resistance, Viral/*genetics
HIV Envelope Protein gp41/*genetics/metabolism/pharmacology
HIV Infections/virology
HIV-1/*genetics/isolation & purification/*metabolism
Humans
Peptide Fragments/pharmacology
*Polymorphism, Genetic
Protein Structure, Tertiary/genetics
Republic of Korea
Virus Internalization
Anti-HIV Agents
HIV Envelope Protein gp41
Peptide Fragments

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