Abstract
The focus of this review is to examine the importance of quantifying total HIV DNA to target the HIV reservoir and the clinical implications and challenges involved in its future application in clinical practice. Despite intrinsic limitations, the quantification of total HIV DNA is currently the most widely used marker for exploring the HIV reservoir. As it allows estimating all forms of HIV DNA in the infected cells, total HIV DNA load is the biomarker of the HIV reservoir that provides most of the insights into HIV pathogenesis. The clinical role of total HIV-DNA in both untreated and treated patients is extensively supported by important lines of evidence. Thus, predictive models that include total HIV DNA load together with other variables could constitute a prognostic tool for use in clinical practice. To date, however, this marker has been primarily used in experimental evaluations. The main challenge is technical. Although the implementation of droplet digital PCR could improve analytical performance over real-time PCR, the lack of standardization has made cross-comparisons of the data difficult. An effort by investigators to compare protocols is needed. Furthermore, the main effort now should be to involve the biomedical industry in the development of certified assays for in vitro diagnostics use.
Highlights
In most patients infected with HIV, the use of combined antiretroviral therapy (ART)results in sustained control of viral replication [1]
Measuring the HIV reservoir could be crucial for evaluating patients who are candidates for a simplification of ART, because reducing the drug pressure might be safer in patients who have a small sample-size reservoir
Considering these main questions and difficulties concerning the different markers of the HIV reservoir, to date total HIV DNA is the marker that is most widely used and studied
Summary
In most patients infected with HIV, the use of combined antiretroviral therapy (ART). Measuring the HIV reservoir could be crucial for evaluating patients who are candidates for a simplification of ART, because reducing the drug pressure might be safer in patients who have a small sample-size reservoir This is noteworthy given the growing importance of less-drug regimens (such as dual regimens) in the management of HIV infection [8]. The latently infected cells are disseminated throughout the body but are more concentrated in sites such as the so-called “anatomical reservoirs” (or “sanctuaries”) than in the blood, which is the most accessible organ for sampling [21,22] Considering these main questions and difficulties concerning the different markers of the HIV reservoir, to date total HIV DNA is the marker that is most widely used and studied. The focus of this review is total HIV-1 DNA—here we examine the importance of quantifying total HIV-1 DNA to target the HIV reservoir, and the clinical implications and challenges involved in its future application in clinical practice
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
