Apolipoprotein B mRNA-editing enzyme, catalytic polypeptide-like 3G: A possible role in the resistance to HIV of HIV-exposed seronegative individuals

Abstract

Apolipoprotein B mRNA-editing enzyme, catalytic polypeptide-like 3G (APOBEC3G), a human cytidine deaminase, is a potent inhibitor of HIV replication. To explore a possible role of this protein in modulating in vivo susceptibility to HIV infection, we analyzed APOBEC3G expression in HIV-exposed seronegative individuals, HIV-seropositive patients, and healthy control subjects. The results showed that the expression of APOBEC3G is significantly increased in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) - mainly CD14 + cells - and in cervical tissues of HIV-exposed seronegative individuals. Higher APOBEC3G expression correlated with a reduced susceptibility of PBMCs to in vitro infection with the HIV-1Ba-L R5 strain. APOBEC3G could be important in modulating in vivo susceptibility to sexually transmitted HIV infection. © 2007 by the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved.