Roles for biological membranes in regulating human immunodeficiency virus replication and progress in the development of HIV therapeutics that target lipid metabolism

Mendelian randomization study of lipid species reveals causal relationship with syphilis

Although some studies have reported a possible association between lipid and the development and progression of syphilis, the overall causal relationship between lipid and syphilis remains unclear. Data abstracted from extensive genome-wide association studies were utilized to pinpoint genetic variations linked to 179 distinct lipid species. Subsequently, these variations served as instrumental variables in Mendelian Randomization (MR) analyses, aimed at evaluating the causal impact of these lipid species on the occurrence of syphilis. A range of methods, including Weighted Mode, Weighted Median, Simple Mode, MR Egger, and Inverse Variance Weighted, were employed to determine the causal influence. For the purpose of sensitivity analysis, techniques such as Inverse Variance Weighted, MR-Egger, the MR Steiger test, the MR-Egger Intercept Test, and MR-PRESSO were applied. Additionally, Multivariate Mendelian Randomization (MVMR) analyses were conducted to directly assess the causal effect of lipid species on the risk of syphilis. Sterol ester (SE) and phosphatidylcholine (PC) could potentially impact syphilis risk. Specifically, SE (27:1/16:0), SE (27:1/18:2), SE (27:1/18:3), SE (27:1/20:3), and SE (27:1/22:6) were linked to an elevated risk of syphilis. PC (18:2_0:0) was linked to an elevated risk of syphilis. In contrast, PC (16:1_18:0) exhibited a protective role against syphilis. No heterogeneity or horizontal pleiotropy was detected. SE (27:1/16:0), SE (27:1/18:2), SE(27:1/18:3), SE (27:1/20:3), and SE (27:1/22:6) were no longer significantly associated with syphilis in the MVMR analysis (P>0.05). In addition, the previously observed effect of PC (18:2_0:0) on syphilis in univariate MR Was no longer significant in MVMR analysis. However, genetically predicted PC (16:1_18:0) was still significantly negatively associated with syphilis, consistent with univariate MR analysis. We observed that hereditary SE and PC levels appear to be associated with syphilis susceptibility. Future research is needed to understand the mechanisms behind this supposed causation and to develop corresponding treatment strategies.

Metabolomic Profiling Reveals Potential Biomarkers and Prominent Features in HIV/AIDS Patients Co-Infected with SARS-CoV-2

The underlying mechanisms and diagnostic biomarkers for the progress of COVID-19 in HIV patients have not been fully elucidated. In this study, the aim is to analyze the metabolomic profiles of HIV/AIDS patients co-infected with SARS-CoV-2 and to identify biomarkers indicative of co-infection. In this study, we conducted a retrospective cohort analysis of peripheral blood samples collected from 30 HIV/AIDS patients co-infected with SARS-CoV-2 (pc group) and 30 patients without SARS-CoV-2 (nc group). In this study, through non-targeted metabolomics and lipidomics analysis, 77 differential metabolites were identified in the plasma of patients co-infected with HIV and SARS-CoV-2 compared to the nc group, with vitamin K1 emerging as a significant feature. Moreover, the plasma of the pc group showed disturbances in lipid metabolism, with elevated triglycerides (TG) and phosphatidylcholine (PC) and decreased phosphatidylglycerol (PG) compared to the control group. Vitamin K1 may be a biomarker for SARS-CoV-2 in HIV/AIDS patients, and changes in the levels of TG, PC, and PG molecules appear to be the main features following HIV co-infection with COVID-19. The emphasis in our study is on the power of using comprehensive metabolomics (lipidomics) approaches to identify metabolic biomarkers and potential mechanisms of COVID-19 in HIV/AIDS patients.

Immunometabolic interference between cancer and COVID-19

Even though cancer patients are generally considered more susceptible to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, the mechanisms driving their predisposition to severe forms of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have not yet been deciphered. Since metabolic disorders are associated with homeostatic frailty, which increases the risk of infection and cancer, we asked whether we could identify immunometabolic pathways intersecting with cancer and SARS-CoV-2 infection. Thanks to a combined flow cytometry and multiomics approach, here we show that the immunometabolic traits of COVID-19 cancer patients encompass alterations in the frequency and activation status of circulating myeloid and lymphoid subsets, and that these changes are associated with i) depletion of tryptophan and its related neuromediator tryptamine, ii) accumulation of immunosuppressive tryptophan metabolites (i.e., kynurenines), and iii) low nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) availability. This metabolic imbalance is accompanied by altered expression of inflammatory cytokines in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), with a distinctive downregulation of IL-6 and upregulation of IFNγ mRNA expression levels. Altogether, our findings indicate that cancer not only attenuates the inflammatory state in COVID-19 patients but also contributes to weakening their precarious metabolic state by interfering with NAD+-dependent immune homeostasis.

Rapid screening and identification of active ingredients in licorice extract interacting with V3 loop region of HIV-1 gp120 using ACE and CE-MS

The binding of envelope protein gp120 to glycosphingolipids is very important during the human immunodeficiency virus entering into the host cell. This step occurs in the V3 loop region in particularly. The conserved core sequence of V3 loop in gp120 was named R15K. Anti-HIV drug targeting to R15K would avoid the drug-resistance caused by HIV-1 genetic diversity. Here, for the first time, affinity capillary electrophoresis (ACE) and capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry (CE-MS) were used for establishing a simple, rapid and effective method of screening the licorice extract for biological activity (anti-HIV), which avoided the complicated isolation and purification process. R15K, 3'-sialyllactose (the positive control), and d-galactose (the negative control) were used for the development and validation of ACE method. After the interaction between licorice extract and R15K was confirmed by ACE, the relative active ingredients were isolated by SPE and their structures were determined by CE-ESI-MS online. In this research, two mixtures from licorice extract were found to be active. Furthermore, glycyrrhizin and licorice saponin G2 were verified as the main ingredients that significantly interacted with R15K via CE-MS and LC-MS. The results of quantitative assays showed that the active mixture contained glycyrrhizin of 74.23% and licorice saponin G2 of 9.52%. Calculated by Scatchard analysis method, glycyrrhizin/R15K complex had the highest binding constant (1.69 ± 0.08) × 10(7)L/mol among 27 compounds isolated from licorice extract. The anti-HIV activity of glycyrrhizin was further confirmed by bioactive experiment of cellular level. This strategy might provide a high throughput screening and identifying platform for seeking HIV-1 inhibitors in natural products.

Cell signaling pathways and HIV-1 therapeutics

Host-virus interactions permeate every aspect of both virus life cycle and host response and involve host cell macromolecular machinery and viral elements. It is these intimate interactions that mandate the outcomes of the infection and pathogenesis. It is also these intimate interactions that lay the foundation for the development of pharmaceutical interventions. HIV-1 is no exception in these regards. In the first two decades, HIV/AIDS research has led to the successful development of a number of antiviral inhibitors and the landmark formulation of the suppressive therapy. It has become apparent that this therapy does not offer a complete solution to cure and eradicate the virus. Meanwhile, this therapy has changed the overall landscape of HIV-associated neurological disorders to a more common and prevalent form so-called minor cognitive motor disorder. Thus, there is an important and continued need for new anti-HIV therapeutics. We believe that this is an excellent opportunity to compile and present the latest works being done during the last few years in this exciting field of HIV-host interactions, particularly cell signaling pathways. We hope that this special issue composed of one brief report, eight thematic reviews, and two original articles will serve to foster the exchange of new scientific ideas on HIV-host interactions and anti-HIV therapy and eventually contribute to HIV/AIDS eradication.