Analysis of the env V3 sequences obtained from patients with HIV type 1 infection treated with the immune modulant agent tucaresol.

Tucaresol, a Schiff base-forming compound that is shown to enhance cytotoxic T cell responses and the production of type 1 cytokines, represents a potentially useful adjuvant factor for treating HIV-1 infection. We studied the effect of tucaresol on V3 sequences within the HIV-1 env region derived from patients with different virologic and immunologic features who were enrolled in a phase I/II randomized clinical trial. The sequence analysis of the env V3 region of the viruses at baseline has confirmed a genotypic pattern similar to a macrophagotropic virus model; we analyzed the follow-up sequences at week 16 of the protocol and did not observe any difference in the tropism determinants within the third variable fragment of the env region. The administration of tucaresol did not accelerate env V3 evolution thus preventing modifications of HIV-1 tropism over time.