Pathways for the emergence of multi-dideoxynucleoside-resistant HIV-1 variants

To investigate the mechanism by which the Q151M mutation in reverse transcriptase (RT) that confers multi-dideoxynucleoside resistance on HIV-1 and that requires a two base change (CAG-->ATG) develops, and to understand the reason for the relatively lengthy period of time required for its emergence under therapy with multiple nucleoside RT inhibitors (NRTI).

Propagation assays and competitive HIV-1 replication assays were used to evaluate the fitness of various infectious clones, including two putative intermediates (HIV-1(Q151K(AAG)) and HIV-(1Q151L(CTG))) for HIV-1(Q151M(ATG)), in terms of sensitivity to zidovudine and didanosine. Steady-state kinetic constants of recombinant RT were also determined.

HIV-1(Q151L) replicated relatively poorly while HIV-1(Q151K) failed to replicate. When HIV-1(Q151L) was propagated further, it took three pathways in continuing to replicate: (i) HIV-1(Q151L) changed to HIV-1(Q151M) in eight of 16 experiments; (ii) HIV-1(Q151L) reverted to wild-type HIV-1 (HIV-1(WT)) in four of 16 experiments; and (iii) HIV-1(Q151L) acquired an additional mutation M230I in four of 16 experiments improving HIV-1 fitness. The relative order of replicative fitness without drugs was: HIV-1(Q151M) > HIV-1(WT) > HIV-1(Q151L/M230I) > HIV-1(M230I) >> HIV-1(Q151L) >>> HIV-1(Q151K), HIV-1(Q151K/M230I). HIV-1(Q151M) was less susceptible to drugs, while HIV-1(Q151L/M230I) was as sensitive as HIV-1(WT). Enzymatic assays corroborated that HIV-1(Q151L) is more replication-competent than HIV-1(WT) and HIV-1(Q151K) in the presence of drugs.

HIV-1(Q151M) probably develops through a poorly replicating HIV-1(Q151L); however, it is also possible that it occurs through two concurrent base changes. The present data should explain the mechanism by which HIV-1(Q151M) emerges after long-term chemotherapy with NRTI.