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Abstract
Numerous HIV-1 curative strategies have been proposed to eradicate the virus reservoir pool that remains integrated within target cells, despite successful antiretroviral therapy. To test the impact of such interventions on this reservoir, a universal marker of persistence is needed. Quantifying integrated HIV-1 DNA load has been proposed as a strong virological marker. In this paper, we provide a detailed description of the most commonly used assays to quantify integrated HIV-1 DNA and applications in relevant clinical studies produced over the last 20 years with a major focus on the recent literature. We discuss the potential for using this marker of virological persistence and the technical limitations that need to be addressed.
Author contributions
A Ruggiero and W De Spiegelaere defined the concept and structure of the work, A Ruggiero, E Malatinkova and S Rutsaert performed the literature review. A Ruggiero and E Malatinkova wrote the paper with guidance from W De Spiegelaere, WA Paxton and L Vandekerckhove. All the authors read the paper, gave comments and accepted the submitted version.
Financial & competing interests disclosure
L Vandekerckhove is funded by the Research Foundation Flanders (FWO 1.8.020.09.N.00). E Malatinkova is funded by the Ghent University BOF (01P06816). S Rutsaert received a strategic basic research fund of the Research Foundation – Flanders (FWO, 1S32916N). The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.
No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.