Objective To study the epidemic status of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) subtypes and sequence variation in Henan thus to explore the characteristics and sources of transmission. Methods HIV-1 env and gag gent were amplified by nested PCR from uncultured peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) obtained from 1287 HIV-1 carriers confirmed in Henan from 2006 to 2007. 1287 env and gag genes were obtained from the patients. Results Among 1287 samples, there were 4 HIV-1 strains including subtype B', C and recombinant subtype BC and AE, accounting for 95.882%( 1234/ 1287), 0.466% (6/1287), 2.875% (37/1287), 0.777% (10/1287) respectively. In comparison with the sequence of the international strains of RLA2, C.95in21068, 07-BC.CN.97.C54A, 01AE.TH.90.CM240, the genetic divergence was 9.327%±0.245%, 5.214%±0.183%, 6.278%±0.194% and 5.332%±0.158%, respectively. Conclusion There were 4 HIV-1 strains including subtype B' , C and recombinant subtype BC and AE in Henan with main dominant subtype as subtype B' which was closely related to HIV-1 strains of Thailand B'. The major transmit route in subtype B' was through blood donation in the past years while with BC, it was through sexual transmission. The major transmit routes in subtype AE were sexual transmission and blood donation. The major route of transmission in subtype C was through sexual contact.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of occupational lead exposure on the relative telomere length(RTL) and mRNA expression of telomere-binding protein POT1-interacting protein 1(TPP1) in peripheral blood of workers. METHODS: A total of 303 workers exposed to lead were selected as the exposure group and 72 administrative logisticians personnel in the same factory as the control group using the simple random sampling method. Their peripheral blood samples were collected and were used to detect the blood lead level by Graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. RTL and the relative expression of TPP1 mRNA by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: The blood lead level of the exposure group was higher [Media(M): 68.2 vs 266.1 μg/L, P<0.01], the RTL was shorter(M: 0.96 vs 0.70, P<0.01), and the relative mRNA expression of TPP1 was lower(M: 0.92 vs 0.51, P<0.01) compared with the control group. Spearman correlation analysis results showed that the blood lead level were both negatively correlated with RTL [Spearman correlation coefficient(r_S) =-0.18, P<0.01], and the relative mRNA expression of TPP1(r_S=-0.19, P<0.01), while the RTL was positively correlated with the risk of RTL shortening and the relative mRNA expression of TPP1 decline was increased in lead exposure(P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Lead exposure can shorten the RTL and reduce the relative mRNA expression of TPP1 in workers. The mechanism may be that lead interferes with telomere repair process by inhibiting the mRNA expression of TPP1.