HIV-1 proviral copy number in blood mononuclear cells from AIDS patients on zidovudine therapy

The effect of treatment with 400-1,200 mg/day of zidovudine (ZDV) on HIV DNA concentrations in patient peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) was studied in six patients during a 5- to 14-month period of therapy. HIV DNA was measured in PBMCs at intervals using a recently developed quantitative polymerase chain reaction assay. The amount of HIV DNA ranged from 2,000 to 40,000 copies of provirus per microgram of cellular DNA. The HIV provirus copy number showed little change with time in five patients, and increased and then remained constant in one patient. Thus, prolonged treatment with ZDV does not decrease the levels of HIV DNA in PBMCs.