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Horvath RM, Brumme ZL, Sadowski I. CDK8 inhibitors antagonize HIV-1 reactivation and promote provirus latency in T cells. J Virol 2023; 97:e0092323. [PMID: 37671866 PMCID: PMC10537590 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00923-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/15/2023] [Indexed: 09/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Latent HIV-1 provirus represents the barrier toward a cure for infection and is dependent upon the host RNA Polymerase (Pol) II machinery for reemergence. Here, we find that inhibitors of the RNA Pol II mediator kinases CDK8/19, Senexin A and BRD6989, inhibit induction of HIV-1 expression in response to latency-reversing agents and T cell signaling agonists. These inhibitors were found to impair recruitment of RNA Pol II to the HIV-1 LTR. Furthermore, HIV-1 expression in response to several latency reversal agents was impaired upon disruption of CDK8 by shRNA or gene knockout. However, the effects of CDK8 depletion did not entirely mimic CDK8/19 kinase inhibition suggesting that the mediator kinases are not functionally redundant. Additionally, treatment of CD4+ peripheral blood mononuclear cells isolated from people living with HIV-1 and who are receiving antiretroviral therapy with Senexin A inhibited induction of viral replication in response to T cell stimulation by PMA and ionomycin. These observations indicate that the mediator kinases, CDK8 and CDK19, play a significant role for regulation of HIV-1 transcription and that small molecule inhibitors of these enzymes may contribute to therapies designed to promote deep latency involving the durable suppression of provirus expression. IMPORTANCE A cure for HIV-1 infection will require novel therapies that can force elimination of cells that contain copies of the virus genome inserted into the cell chromosome, but which is shut off, or silenced. These are known as latently-infected cells, which represent the main reason why current treatment for HIV/AIDS cannot cure the infection because the virus in these cells is unaffected by current drugs. Our results indicate that chemical inhibitors of Cdk8 also inhibit the expression of latent HIV provirus. Cdk8 is an important enzyme that regulates the expression of genes in response to signals to which cells need to respond and which is produced by a gene that is frequently mutated in cancers. Our observations indicate that Cdk8 inhibitors may be employed in novel therapies to prevent expression from latent provirus, which might eventually enable infected individuals to cease treatment with antiretroviral drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riley M. Horvath
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Molecular Epigenetics Group, LSI, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Zabrina L. Brumme
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
- British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Ivan Sadowski
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Molecular Epigenetics Group, LSI, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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Identification of N, C-capped di- and tripeptides as selective immunoproteasome inhibitors. Eur J Med Chem 2022; 234:114252. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2022.114252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Revised: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 03/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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Liu Y, Fu L, Wu J, Liu M, Wang G, Liu B, Zhang L. Transcriptional cyclin-dependent kinases: Potential drug targets in cancer therapy. Eur J Med Chem 2021; 229:114056. [PMID: 34942431 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2021.114056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2021] [Revised: 12/14/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
In the wake of the development of the concept of cell cycle and its limiting points, cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) are considered to play a central role in regulating cell cycle progression. Recent studies have strongly demonstrated that CDKs also has multiple functions, especially in response to extracellular and intracellular signals by interfering with transcriptional events. Consequently, how to inhibit their function has been a hot research topic. It is worth noting that the key role of CDKs in regulating transcription has been explored in recent years, but its related pharmacological targets are less developed, and most inhibitors have not entered the clinical stage. Accordingly, this perspective focus on the biological functions of transcription related CDKs and their complexes, some key upstream and downstream signals, and inhibitors for cancer treatment in recent years. In addition, some corresponding combined treatment strategies will provide a more novel perspective for future cancer remedy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Liu
- Sichuan Engineering Research Center for Biomimetic Synthesis of Natural Drugs, School of Life Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, 610031, Chengdu, China
| | - Leilei Fu
- Sichuan Engineering Research Center for Biomimetic Synthesis of Natural Drugs, School of Life Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, 610031, Chengdu, China
| | - Junhao Wu
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Ming Liu
- Department of Orthopedics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
| | - Guan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, Innovation Center of Nursing Research, Nursing Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, West China Hospital, and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
| | - Bo Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, Innovation Center of Nursing Research, Nursing Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, West China Hospital, and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Lan Zhang
- Sichuan Engineering Research Center for Biomimetic Synthesis of Natural Drugs, School of Life Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, 610031, Chengdu, China.
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