Diversity Of The Vpr Gene Of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 In China

Objective To compare the differences of the mutation sites on HIV- 1Vpr via analyzing the sequences of HIV- 1 infected individuals from different regions in China; and select some mutation sequences to carry out the next study according to the features of the infected individuals.Methods Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and nested PCR was used to amplify HIV-1 vpr gene which extracted from plasma of 348 HIV-1 infected individuals. The positive samples confirmed by arose gel electrophoresis were sent to biology company for further detection. Using BLAST, ClustalW and Mega biological analysis software to analyze sequence, and identify the characteristics of HIV-1 vpr gene polymorphism and its clinical significance in China.Results 159 of 208 positive samples which were obtained from 348 HIV-1 infected individuals were sent back from biology company, and 153 samples were available for further analysis. The sequence detection results were showed as follows: CRF01-AE(51.63%), subtypeC (24.84%), subtypeB(17.65%), CRF03-AB(3.92%), CRF08-BC(1.31%), CRF01-AE (51.63%), subtypeC (24.84%), subtypeB (17.65%), CRF03-AB (3.92%), CRF08-BC (1.31%), with other subtypes represented at＜1%. The proportion of conservative sites was 33.33%, and these sites were scattered in the N and C term. The linear analysis demonstrated that the variation in the C-term was more obvious than which in the N-term. We have discovered that the amino acids mutation sites in 55, 63, 70, 85, 86, 89 and 94 are likely related to the clinical manifestation of HIV-1 infected individuals.Conclusions1. M group is the main group in China, and CRF01-AE is the main subtype which differs from the previous reports.2. In China, the proportion of conservative site was lower than international generally acknowledged HIV-1 Vpr sequences, which enable us to doubt the conservatism of HIV-1 Vpr.3. The proportion of the glutamine acid (Q) is 84.3% in the 77th position of the 153 amino acid sequences, but some overseas researchs reported that the 77th site is arginine (R) and the mutation of R77Q is correlated with long-term nonprogressors.4.The mutations at 55, 63, 70, 85, 86, 89, 94 ofHIV-1 Vpr are possibly correlated with clinical manifestation of HIV-1 infected individuals.