Objective  To study the correlation of diversity of HIV-1 quasispecies and HLA-restricted CTL epitopes.   Methods  RNAs were extracted from the plasma samples of 2 pairs of individuals with HIV-1 vertical transmission (mother YJ and her 54-day daughter WYF

mother CM and her 12-month son ZDB) and polymersed by RT-nested PCR. PCR products were T-A cloned. Positive clones were analyzed by conformation sensitive gel electrophoresis (CSGE). The clones of major and minor quasispecies were sequenced. Sequencing results were analyzed to determine CTL epitopes.   Results  For the first pair mother-child

all CTL epitopes in env region of mother YJ’s HIV-1 quasispecies existed in env region of daughter WYF’s HIV-1 quasispecies

but one of CTL epitopes in env region of WYF’s HIV-1 minor quasispecies was not found in env region of mother YJ’s HIV-1 quasispecies; while for  the second pair mother-child

no same CTL epitodes was found in env region of mother CM’s and son ZDB’s HIV-1 quasispecies.   Conclusion  The longer time after vertical transmission is

the more likely HLA restricted-CTL epitopes will change in mutated HIV-1 quasispecies.