Rapid turnover of plasma virions and CD4 lymphocytes in HIV-1 infection

Nature. 1995 Jan 12;373(6510):123-6. doi: 10.1038/373123a0.

Abstract

Treatment of infected patients with ABT-538, an inhibitor of the protease of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), causes plasma HIV-1 levels to decrease exponentially (mean half-life, 2.1 +/- 0.4 days) and CD4 lymphocyte counts to rise substantially. Minimum estimates of HIV-1 production and clearance and of CD4 lymphocyte turnover indicate that replication of HIV-1 in vivo is continuous and highly productive, driving the rapid turnover of CD4 lymphocytes.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Antiviral Agents / therapeutic use
  • CD4 Lymphocyte Count / drug effects
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / cytology
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / virology*
  • HIV Infections / drug therapy
  • HIV Infections / immunology
  • HIV Infections / virology*
  • HIV Protease Inhibitors / therapeutic use
  • HIV-1 / physiology*
  • Humans
  • Kinetics
  • Ritonavir
  • Viremia / drug therapy
  • Viremia / virology*
  • Virion / physiology
  • Virus Replication*

Substances

  • Antiviral Agents
  • HIV Protease Inhibitors
  • Ritonavir