Absence of Proviral Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Type 1 Evolution in Early-Treated Individuals With HIV Switching to Dolutegravir Monotherapy During 48 Weeks

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection is treated with antiretroviral therapy (ART), usually consisting of 2–3 different drugs, referred to as combination ART (cART). Our recent randomized clinical trial comparing a switch to dolutegravir monotherapy with continuation of cART in early-treated individuals demonstrated sustained virological suppression over 48 weeks. Here, we characterize the longitudinal landscape of the HIV-1 reservoir in these participants, with particular attention to potential differences between treatment groups regarding evidence of evolution as a proxy for low-level replication. Near full-length HIV-1 proviral polymerase chain reaction and next-generation sequencing was applied to longitudinal peripheral blood mononuclear cell samples to assess proviral evolution and the potential emergence of drug resistance mutations (DRMs). Neither an increase in genetic distance nor diversity over time was detected in participants of both treatment groups. Single proviral analysis showed high proportions of defective proviruses and low DRM numbers. No evidence for evolution during dolutegravir monotherapy was found in these early-treated individuals.