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HIV long-term non-progressors share similar features with simian immunodeficiency virus infection of chimpanzees

Abstract HIV-1 infection in human beings has been an outcome of cross-species transmission event of simian immunodeficiency virus from chimpanzees (SIVcpz). Present study reveals differential features of envelope genes representing different categories of HIV-1 disease progression in human beings, namely, rapid progressors (RP), slow progressors (SP) and long-term non-progressors (LTNP) with respect to SIVcpz, based on their amino acid usage patterns. It was evident that SP, LTNP and SIVcpz envelope genes displayed similar patterns of amino acid usage which strongly contrasted with the features exhibited by the envelope genes representing RP category. Robust analysis revealed that selection constraint of human host on SP and LTNP associated envelope genes and chimpanzee host on SIVcpz envelope genes were more severe compared to selection pressure operational on RP associated envelope genes. Evolutionary forces of selection appeared to be comparatively more relaxed on the RP envelope genes in contrast to SP, LTNP and SIVcpz types. Better binding of RP envelope glycoprotein 120 (gp120) compared to envelope gp120 representing SP, LTNP and SIVcpz with host cellular receptor CD4, as inferred employing molecular docking approaches, promises to confer meaningful insights into the event of speedy progression of HIV in rapid progressors. It was interesting to note that envelope glycoprotein exhibited a tendency of hindering proper interaction of host (human/chimpanzee) CD4 and major histocompatibility complex II (MHC II), with a better efficacy in rapid progressors, thus, facilitating highest degrees of immune suppression. Proper identification of the contrasting features might confer a scope to modulate rapid progression of HIV to a long-term non-progressive controlled case, as observed in LTNP and SIVcpz infection, simultaneously aiding therapeutic research against AIDS targeted at drug and vaccine development. Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma