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HIV-2 EHO isolate has a divergent envelope gene and induces single cell killing by apoptosis
M A Rey-Cuille1, J Galabru, A Laurent-Crawford
1Department of AIDS and Retroviruses, UA CNRS 1157, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.
Abstract:
The human immunodeficiency virus type 2 (HIV-2)-related isolate, referred to as HIV-2 EHO, has been isolated from an Ivory Coast patient with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Infection of CD4 expressing cells with this highly infectious virus mediates a cytopathic effect characterized by single-cell killing as a consequence of apoptosis. Nucleotide sequence analysis of the HIV-2 EHO genome revealed a significant degree of divergence of its envelope gene from that of other known HIV-2 strains. This divergence for the deduced amino acid sequence corresponding to the extracellular envelope glycoprotein was 26 to 30%. These unique genetic and biological properties suggest that the HIV-2 EHO isolate is a distinct prototype in the HIV-2 family.