Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Retrovirus Life Cycles

Retrovirus Life Cycles

Retroviruses have a single-stranded RNA genome that undergoes a special form of replication. Once the retrovirus has entered the host cell, an enzyme called reverse transcriptase synthesizes double-stranded DNA from the retroviral RNA genome. This DNA copy of the genome is then integrated into the host’s genome inside the nucleus via an enzyme called integrase. Consequently, the retroviral genome is transcribed into RNA whenever the host’s genome is transcribed, allowing the retrovirus to...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Comparison of manual and automated ultrasensitive assays for residual HIV-1 in plasma from individuals on suppressive antiretroviral therapy.

Journal of clinical microbiology·2025

Same author

2025 update of the drug resistance mutations in HIV-1.

Topics in antiviral medicine·2025

Same author

Utilizing HIV Proviral DNA to Assess for the Presence of HIV Drug Resistance.

Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America·2025

Same author

Rapid biphasic decay of intact and defective HIV DNA reservoir during acute treated HIV disease.

Nature communications·2024

Same author

Safety and immunogenicity of a delayed booster dose of the rVSVΔG-ZEBOV-GP vaccine for prevention of Ebola virus disease: a multicentre, open-label, phase 2 randomised controlled trial.

The Lancet. Microbe·2024

Same author

Rapid Biphasic Decay of Intact and Defective HIV DNA Reservoir During Acute Treated HIV Disease.

medRxiv : the preprint server for health sciences·2024

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 8, 2026

Rapid Screening of HIV Reverse Transcriptase and Integrase Inhibitors

Rapid Screening of HIV Reverse Transcriptase and Integrase Inhibitors

Published on: April 9, 2014

Increase in 2-long terminal repeat circles and decrease in D-dimer after raltegravir intensification in patients with

Hiroyu Hatano¹, Matthew C Strain, Rebecca Scherzer

¹Department of Medicine.

The Journal of Infectious Diseases

|August 27, 2013

Summary

Raltegravir intensification increased viral markers (2-LTR circles) in HIV patients on long-term ART, suggesting persistent low-level replication. This treatment also reduced D-dimer levels, a marker of morbidity and mortality.

Keywords:

2-LTR circles D-dimer HIV ongoing viral replication raltegravir intensification

More Related Videos

Oral Combinational Antiretroviral Treatment in HIV-1 Infected Humanized Mice

Oral Combinational Antiretroviral Treatment in HIV-1 Infected Humanized Mice

Published on: October 6, 2022

Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship, Activity Prediction, and Molecular Dynamics of Non-nucleotide Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors

Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship, Activity Prediction, and Molecular Dynamics of Non-nucleotide Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors

Published on: May 9, 2025

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 8, 2026

Rapid Screening of HIV Reverse Transcriptase and Integrase Inhibitors

Rapid Screening of HIV Reverse Transcriptase and Integrase Inhibitors

Published on: April 9, 2014

Oral Combinational Antiretroviral Treatment in HIV-1 Infected Humanized Mice

Oral Combinational Antiretroviral Treatment in HIV-1 Infected Humanized Mice

Published on: October 6, 2022

Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship, Activity Prediction, and Molecular Dynamics of Non-nucleotide Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors

Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship, Activity Prediction, and Molecular Dynamics of Non-nucleotide Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors

Published on: May 9, 2025

Area of Science:

Virology
Immunology
Pharmacology

Background:

The extent of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) replication during antiretroviral therapy (ART) remains a subject of debate.
Persistent low-level HIV replication may impact long-term patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate whether raltegravir intensification can reduce low-level viral replication in individuals with suppressed HIV.
To assess the impact of raltegravir intensification on 2-long terminal repeat (2-LTR) circles as a marker of viral replication.

Main Methods:

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study involving 31 subjects with suppressed HIV RNA levels (<40 copies/mL) on ART for at least one year.
Participants received either raltegravir (400 mg twice daily) or a placebo for 24 weeks, with 2-LTR circle levels measured at baseline and weeks 1, 2, and 8 using droplet digital polymerase chain reaction.

Main Results:

Raltegravir intensification led to a significant increase in 2-LTR circle levels compared to placebo, with week 1 and week 2 ratios 8.8-fold and 5.7-fold higher, respectively.
The study observed a statistically significant decrease in D-dimer levels in the raltegravir group compared to the placebo group (P = .045).

Conclusions:

Raltegravir intensification rapidly increased 2-LTR circles in a subset of patients, indicating that low-level HIV replication persists even after long-term ART.
HIV treatment intensification with raltegravir also demonstrated a beneficial effect by reducing D-dimer levels, a biomarker associated with increased morbidity and mortality in HIV-infected individuals.