Nuclear RNA surveillance complexes silence HIV-1 transcription

Host ZCCHC3 blocks HIV-1 infection and production through a dual mechanism

Most mammalian cells prevent viral infection and proliferation by expressing various restriction factors and sensors that activate the immune system. Several host restriction factors that inhibit human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) have been identified, but most of them are antagonized by viral proteins. Here, we describe CCHC-type zinc-finger-containing protein 3 (ZCCHC3) as a novel HIV-1 restriction factor that suppresses the production of HIV-1 and other retroviruses, but does not appear to be directly antagonized by viral proteins. It acts by binding to Gag nucleocapsid (GagNC) via zinc-finger motifs, which inhibits viral genome recruitment and results in genome-deficient virion production. ZCCHC3 also binds to the long terminal repeat on the viral genome via the middle-folded domain, sequestering the viral genome to P-bodies, which leads to decreased viral replication and production. This distinct, dual-acting antiviral mechanism makes upregulation of ZCCHC3 a novel potential therapeutic strategy.

Premature transcription termination complex proteins PCF11 and WDR82 silence HIV-1 expression in latently infected cells

Postintegration transcriptional silencing of HIV-1 leads to the establishment of a pool of latently infected cells. In these cells, mechanisms controlling RNA Polymerase II (RNAPII) pausing and premature transcription termination (PTT) remain to be explored. Here, we found that the cleavage and polyadenylation (CPA) factor PCF11 represses HIV-1 expression independently of the other subunits of the CPA complex or the polyadenylation signal located at the 5' LTR. We show that PCF11 interacts with the RNAPII-binding protein WDR82. Knock-down of PCF11 or WDR82 reactivated HIV-1 expression in latently infected cells. To silence HIV-1 transcription, PCF11 and WDR82 are specifically recruited at the promoter-proximal region of the provirus in an interdependent manner. Codepletion of PCF11 and WDR82 indicated that they act on the same pathway to repress HIV expression. These findings reveal PCF11/WDR82 as a PTT complex silencing HIV-1 expression in latently infected cells.

POLE3 is a repressor of unintegrated HIV-1 DNA required for efficient virus integration and escape from innate immune sensing

Unintegrated retroviral DNA is transcriptionally silenced by host chromatin silencing factors. Here, we used the proteomics of isolated chromatin segments method to reveal viral and host factors associated with unintegrated HIV-1DNA involved in its silencing. By gene silencing using siRNAs, 46 factors were identified as potential repressors of unintegrated HIV-1DNA. Knockdown and knockout experiments revealed POLE3 as a transcriptional repressor of unintegrated HIV-1DNA. POLE3 maintains unintegrated HIV-1DNA in a repressive chromatin state, preventing RNAPII recruitment to the viral promoter. POLE3 and the recently identified host factors mediating unintegrated HIV-1 DNA silencing, CAF1 and SMC5/SMC6/SLF2, show specificity toward different forms of unintegrated HIV-1DNA. Loss of POLE3 impaired HIV-1 replication, suggesting that repression of unintegrated HIV-1DNA is important for optimal viral replication. POLE3 depletion reduces the integration efficiency of HIV-1. POLE3, by maintaining a repressive chromatin structure of unintegrated HIV-1DNA, ensures HIV-1 escape from innate immune sensing in primary CD4+ T cells.

PAPγ associates with PAXT nuclear exosome to control the abundance of PROMPT ncRNAs

Pervasive transcription of the human genome generates an abundance of RNAs that must be processed and degraded. The nuclear RNA exosome is the main RNA degradation machinery in the nucleus. However, nuclear exosome must be recruited to its substrates by targeting complexes, such as NEXT or PAXT. By proteomic analysis, we identify additional subunits of PAXT, including many orthologs of MTREC found in S. pombe. In particular, we show that polyA polymerase gamma (PAPγ) associates with PAXT. Genome-wide mapping of the binding sites of ZFC3H1, RBM27 and PAPγ shows that PAXT is recruited to the TSS of hundreds of genes. Loss of ZFC3H1 abolishes recruitment of PAXT subunits including PAPγ to TSSs and concomitantly increases the abundance of PROMPTs at the same sites. Moreover, PAPγ, as well as MTR4 and ZFC3H1, is implicated in the polyadenylation of PROMPTs. Our results thus provide key insights into the direct targeting of PROMPT ncRNAs by PAXT at their genomic sites.

Proteome balance in ciliopathies: the OFD1 protein example

The balance of protein synthesis and degradation is finely regulated and influences cellular homeostasis and biological processes (e.g., embryonic development and neuronal plasticity). Recent data demonstrated that centrosomal/ciliary proteins enable proteome control in response to spatial or microenvironmental stimuli. Here, we discuss recent discoveries regarding the role in the balance of the proteome of centrosomal/ciliary proteins associated with genetic disorders known as ciliopathies. In particular, OFD1 was the first example of a ciliopathy protein controlling both protein expression and autophagic/proteasomal degradation. Understanding the role of proteome balance in the pathogenesis of the clinical manifestations of ciliopathies may pave the way to the identification of a wide range of putative novel therapeutic targets for these conditions.

NF90 interacts with components of RISC and modulates association of Ago2 with mRNA

Background

Nuclear factor 90 (NF90) is a double-stranded RNA-binding protein involved in a multitude of different cellular mechanisms such as transcription, translation, viral infection, and mRNA stability. Recent data suggest that NF90 might influence the abundance of target mRNAs in the cytoplasm through miRNA- and Argonaute 2 (Ago2)-dependent activity.

Results

Here, we identified the interactome of NF90 in the cytoplasm, which revealed several components of the RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC) and associated factors. Co-immunoprecipitation analysis confirmed the interaction of NF90 with the RISC-associated RNA helicase, Moloney leukemia virus 10 (MOV10), and other proteins involved in RISC-mediated silencing, including Ago2. Furthermore, NF90 association with MOV10 and Ago2 was found to be RNA-dependent. Glycerol gradient sedimentation of NF90 immune complexes indicates that these proteins occur in the same protein complex. At target RNAs predicted to bind both NF90 and MOV10 in their 3′ UTRs, NF90 association was increased upon loss of MOV10 and vice versa. Interestingly, loss of NF90 led to an increase in association of Ago2 as well as a decrease in the abundance of the target mRNA. Similarly, during hypoxia, the binding of Ago2 to vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) mRNA increased after loss of NF90, while the level of VEGF mRNA decreased.

Conclusions

These findings reveal that, in the cytoplasm, NF90 can associate with components of RISC such as Ago2 and MOV10. In addition, the data indicate that NF90 and MOV10 may compete for the binding of common target mRNAs, suggesting a role for NF90 in the regulation of RISC-mediated silencing by stabilizing target mRNAs, such as VEGF, during cancer-induced hypoxia.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12915-022-01384-2.

Proteomic Analysis Reveals Zinc-finger CCHC-type Containing Protein 3 as a Factor Inhibiting Virus Infection by Promoting Innate Signaling

Influenza a virus exploits host machinery to benefit its replication in host cells. Knowledge of host factors reveals the complicated interaction and provides potential targets for antiviral treatment. Here, instead of the traditional proteomic analysis, we employed a 4D label free proteomic method to identify cellular factors in A549 cells treated with avian H9N2 virus. We observed that 425 proteins were upregulated and 502 proteins were downregulated. Western blotting and quantitative real-time PCR results showed that the zinc-finger CCHC-type containing protein 3 (ZCCHC3) levels were markedly induced by H9N2 infection. Transient expression assay showed that ZCCHC3 expression decreased NP protein levels and viral titers, whereas knockdown of ZCCHC3 enhanced viral growth. Specifically, ZCCHC3 promoted the expression of IFN-β, leading to the increased transcription of IFN downstream antiviral factors. Surprisingly, viral NS1 protein was able to antagonize the antiviral effect of ZCCHC3 by downregulating IFN-β. Eventually, we observed that chicken finger CCCH-type containing protein 3, named ZC3H3, could also suppress the replication of H9N2 virus and the coronavirus-infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) in DF-1 cells. Together, our results showed the cellular proteomic response to H9N2 infection and identified ZCCHC3 as a novel antiviral factor against H9N2 infection, contributing to the understanding of host-virus interaction.

Inhibition of a Chromatin and Transcription Modulator, SLTM, Increases HIV-1 Reactivation Identified by a CRISPR Inhibition Screen

Despite effective antiretroviral therapy, HIV-1 persistence in latent reservoirs remains a major obstacle to a cure. We postulate that HIV-1 silencing factors suppress HIV-1 reactivation and that inhibition of these factors will increase HIV-1 reactivation. To identify HIV-1 silencing factors, we conducted a genome-wide CRISPR inhibition (CRISPRi) screen using four CRISPRi-ready, HIV-1-d6-GFP-infected Jurkat T cell clones with distinct integration sites. We sorted cells with increased green fluorescent protein (GFP) expression and captured single guide RNAs (sgRNAs) via targeted deep sequencing. We identified 18 HIV-1 silencing factors that were significantly enriched in HIV-1-d6-GFPhigh cells. Among them, SLTM (scaffold attachment factor B-like transcription modulator) is an epigenetic and transcriptional modulator having both DNA and RNA binding capacities not previously known to affect HIV-1 transcription. Knocking down SLTM by CRISPRi significantly increased HIV-1-d6-GFP expression (by 1.9- to 4.2-fold) in three HIV-1-d6-GFP-Jurkat T cell clones. Furthermore, SLTM knockdown increased the chromatin accessibility of HIV-1 and the gene in which HIV-1 is integrated but not the housekeeping gene POLR2A. To test whether SLTM inhibition can reactivate HIV-1 and further induce cell death of HIV-1-infected cells ex vivo, we established a small interfering RNA (siRNA) knockdown method that reduced SLTM expression in CD4+ T cells from 10 antiretroviral therapy (ART)-treated, virally suppressed, HIV-1-infected individuals ex vivo. Using limiting dilution culture, we found that SLTM knockdown significantly reduced the frequency of HIV-1-infected cells harboring inducible HIV-1 by 62.2% (0.56/106 versus 1.48/106 CD4+ T cells [P = 0.029]). Overall, our study indicates that SLTM inhibition reactivates HIV-1 in vitro and induces cell death of HIV-1-infected cells ex vivo. Our study identified SLTM as a novel therapeutic target. IMPORTANCE HIV-1-infected cells, which can survive drug treatment and immune cell killing, prevent an HIV-1 cure. Immune recognition of infected cells requires HIV-1 protein expression; however, HIV-1 protein expression is limited in infected cells after long-term therapy. The ways in which the HIV-1 provirus is blocked from producing protein are unknown. We identified a new host protein that regulates HIV-1 gene expression. We also provided a new method of studying HIV-1-host factor interactions in cells from infected individuals. These improvements may enable future strategies to reactivate HIV-1 in infected individuals so that infected cells can be killed by immune cells, drug treatment, or the virus itself.

HibeRNAtion: HIV-1 RNA Metabolism and Viral Latency

HIV-1 infection remains non-curative due to the latent reservoir, primarily a small pool of resting memory CD4+ T cells bearing replication-competent provirus. Pharmacological reversal of HIV-1 latency followed by intrinsic or extrinsic cell killing has been proposed as a promising strategy to target and eliminate HIV-1 viral reservoirs. Latency reversing agents have been extensively studied for their role in reactivating HIV-1 transcription in vivo, although no permanent reduction of the viral reservoir has been observed thus far. This is partly due to the complex nature of latency, which involves strict intrinsic regulation at multiple levels at transcription and RNA processing. Still, the molecular mechanisms that control HIV-1 latency establishment and maintenance have been almost exclusively studied in the context of chromatin remodeling, transcription initiation and elongation and most known LRAs target LTR-driven transcription by manipulating these. RNA metabolism is a largely understudies but critical mechanistic step in HIV-1 gene expression and latency. In this review we provide an update on current knowledge on the role of RNA processing mechanisms in viral gene expression and latency and speculate on the possible manipulation of these pathways as a therapeutic target for future cure studies.

TASOR epigenetic repressor cooperates with a CNOT1 RNA degradation pathway to repress HIV

The Human Silencing Hub (HUSH) complex constituted of TASOR, MPP8 and Periphilin recruits the histone methyl-transferase SETDB1 to spread H3K9me3 repressive marks across genes and transgenes in an integration site-dependent manner. The deposition of these repressive marks leads to heterochromatin formation and inhibits gene expression, but the underlying mechanism is not fully understood. Here, we show that TASOR silencing or HIV-2 Vpx expression, which induces TASOR degradation, increases the accumulation of transcripts derived from the HIV-1 LTR promoter at a post-transcriptional level. Furthermore, using a yeast 2-hybrid screen, we identify new TASOR partners involved in RNA metabolism including the RNA deadenylase CCR4-NOT complex scaffold CNOT1. TASOR and CNOT1 synergistically repress HIV expression from its LTR. Similar to the RNA-induced transcriptional silencing complex found in fission yeast, we show that TASOR interacts with the RNA exosome and RNA Polymerase II, predominantly under its elongating state. Finally, we show that TASOR facilitates the association of RNA degradation proteins with RNA polymerase II and is detected at transcriptional centers. Altogether, we propose that HUSH operates at the transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels to repress HIV proviral expression.

Chromatin-associated MRN complex protects highly transcribing genes from genomic instability

MRN-MDC1 plays a central role in the DNA damage response (DDR) and repair. Using proteomics of isolated chromatin fragments, we identified DDR factors, such as MDC1, among those highly associating with a genomic locus upon transcriptional activation. Purification of MDC1 in the absence of exogenous DNA damage revealed interactions with factors involved in gene expression and RNA processing, in addition to DDR factors. ChIP-seq showed that MRN subunits, MRE11 and NBS1, colocalized throughout the genome, notably at TSSs and bodies of actively transcribing genes, which was dependent on the RNAPII transcriptional complex rather than transcription per se. Depletion of MRN increased RNAPII abundance at MRE11/NBS1-bound genes. Prolonged MRE11 or NBS1 depletion induced single-nucleotide polymorphisms across actively transcribing MRN target genes. These data suggest that association of MRN with the transcriptional machinery constitutively scans active genes for transcription-induced DNA damage to preserve the integrity of the coding genome.

An Analytically and Diagnostically Sensitive RNA Extraction and RT-qPCR Protocol for Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells

Reliable extraction and sensitive detection of RNA from human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) is critical for a broad spectrum of immunology research and clinical diagnostics. RNA analysis platforms are dependent upon high-quality and high-quantity RNA; however, sensitive detection of specific responses associated with high-quality RNA extractions from human samples with limited PBMCs can be challenging. Furthermore, the comparative sensitivity between RNA quantification and best-practice protein quantification is poorly defined. Therefore, we provide herein a critical evaluation of the wide variety of current generation of RNA-based kits for PBMCs, representative of several strategies designed to maximize sensitivity. We assess these kits with a reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) assay optimized for both analytically and diagnostically sensitive cell-based RNA-based applications. Specifically, three RNA extraction kits, one post-extraction RNA purification/concentration kit, four SYBR master-mix kits, and four reverse transcription kits were tested. RNA extraction and RT-qPCR reaction efficiency were evaluated with commonly used reference and cytokine genes. Significant variation in RNA expression of reference genes was apparent, and absolute quantification based on cell number was established as an effective RT-qPCR normalization strategy. We defined an optimized RNA extraction and RT-qPCR protocol with an analytical sensitivity capable of single cell RNA detection. The diagnostic sensitivity of this assay was sufficient to show a CD8⁺ T cell peptide epitope hierarchy with as few as 1 × 10⁴ cells. Finally, we compared our optimized RNA extraction and RT-qPCR protocol with current best-practice immune assays and demonstrated that our assay is a sensitive alternative to protein-based assays for peptide-specific responses, especially with limited PBMCs number. This protocol with high analytical and diagnostic sensitivity has broad applicability for both primary research and clinical practice.

Regulation of long non-coding RNAs and genome dynamics by the RNA surveillance machinery

Much of the mammalian genome is transcribed, generating long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) that can undergo post-transcriptional surveillance whereby only a subset of the non-coding transcripts is allowed to attain sufficient stability to persist in the cellular milieu and control various cellular functions. Paralleling protein turnover by the proteasome complex, lncRNAs are also likely to exist in a dynamic equilibrium that is maintained through constant monitoring by the RNA surveillance machinery. In this Review, we describe the RNA surveillance factors and discuss the vital role of lncRNA surveillance in orchestrating various biological processes, including the protection of genome integrity, maintenance of pluripotency of embryonic stem cells, antibody-gene diversification, coordination of immune cell activation and regulation of heterochromatin formation. We also discuss examples of human diseases and developmental defects associated with the failure of RNA surveillance mechanisms, further highlighting the importance of lncRNA surveillance in maintaining cell and organism functions and health.

Brief Report: Pulmonary Tuberculosis Is Associated With Persistent Systemic Inflammation and Decreased HIV-1 Reservoir Markers in Coinfected Ugandans

BACKGROUND

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (TB) infection induces systemic inflammation that could impact HIV-1 persistence.

SETTING

HIV-1-seropositive individuals either with or without pulmonary TB disease were recruited in Kampala, Uganda.

METHODS

Plasma cytokines, HIV-1 DNA, and cell-associated (ca)-RNA were compared among those coinfected with TB (cases) to those without TB (controls). TB-coinfected cases and controls were compared at presentation (n = 15 and n = 16, respectively) and at around 6 months after HIV-1 treatment initiation among those who had achieved virologic suppression (n = 6 and n = 8, respectively). At follow-up, the TB-coinfected cases had also finished TB treatment.

RESULTS

Before treatment, the TB-coinfected cases as compared to the controls had higher levels of soluble(s)-CD163 (P = 0.0002) and interleukin-6 (P = 0.006) but lower levels of macrophage chemoattractant protein-1 (P = 0.04). After treatment, the TB-coinfected cases as compared to controls still had higher plasma s-CD163 levels (P = 0007). Controls as compared to the coinfected cases had higher ca-RNA per DNA template both at baseline (P = 0.03) and at follow-up (P = 0.07). Levels of ca-RNA per DNA copy at follow-up showed a negative correlation with baseline plasma s-CD163 (P = 0.008) and interleukin-6 (P = 0.05) levels.

CONCLUSIONS

TB disease is associated with inflammation and decreased HIV-1 RNA expression relative to the number of infected cells, both before and after viral suppression. Infections present before antiretroviral initiation impact HIV-1 latency.

Cat and Mouse: HIV Transcription in Latency, Immune Evasion and Cure/Remission Strategies

There is broad scientific and societal consensus that finding a cure for HIV infection must be pursued. The major barrier to achieving a cure for HIV/AIDS is the capacity of the HIV virus to avoid both immune surveillance and current antiretroviral therapy (ART) by rapidly establishing latently infected cell populations, termed latent reservoirs. Here, we provide an overview of the rapidly evolving field of HIV cure/remission research, highlighting recent progress and ongoing challenges in the understanding of HIV reservoirs, the role of HIV transcription in latency and immune evasion. We review the major approaches towards a cure that are currently being explored and further argue that small molecules that inhibit HIV transcription, and therefore uncouple HIV gene expression from signals sent by the host immune response, might be a particularly promising approach to attain a cure or remission. We emphasize that a better understanding of the game of "cat and mouse" between the host immune system and the HIV virus is a crucial knowledge gap to be filled in both cure and vaccine research.

Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus ORF57 protein protects viral transcripts from specific nuclear RNA decay pathways by preventing hMTR4 recruitment

Nuclear RNAs are subject to a number of RNA decay pathways that serve quality control and regulatory functions. As a result, any virus that expresses its genes in the nucleus must have evolved mechanisms that avoid these pathways, but the how viruses evade nuclear RNA decay remains largely unknown. The multifunctional Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) ORF57 (Mta) protein is required for the nuclear stability of viral transcripts. In the absence of ORF57, we show that viral transcripts are subject to degradation by two specific nuclear RNA decay pathways, PABPN1 and PAPα/γ-mediated RNA decay (PPD) in which decay factors are recruited through poly(A) tails, and an ARS2-mediated RNA decay pathway dependent on the 5ʹ RNA cap. In transcription pulse chase assays, ORF57 appears to act primarily by inhibiting the ARS2-mediated RNA decay pathway. In the context of viral infection in cultured cells, inactivation of both decay pathways by RNAi is necessary for the restoration of ORF57-dependent viral genes produced from an ORF57-null bacmid. Mechanistically, we demonstrate that ORF57 protects viral transcripts by preventing the recruitment of the exosome co-factor hMTR4. In addition, our data suggest that ORF57 recruitment of ALYREF inhibits hMTR4 association with some viral RNAs, whereas other KSHV transcripts are stabilized by ORF57 in an ALYREF-independent fashion. In conclusion, our studies show that KSHV RNAs are subject to nuclear degradation by two specific host pathways, PPD and ARS2-mediated decay, and ORF57 protects viral transcripts from decay by inhibiting hMTR4 recruitment.

Eukaryotic cells contain numerous nuclear RNA quality control (QC) systems that ensure transcriptome fidelity by detecting and degrading aberrant RNAs. Some viral RNAs are also predicted to be degraded by these RNA QC systems, so viruses have evolved mechanisms that counter host RNA QC pathways. Previous studies showed that the Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) expresses the ORF57 protein to protect its RNAs from nuclear decay. However, neither the specific host pathways that degrade KSHV RNAs nor the mechanisms describing ORF57 protection of viral RNAs were known. Our data suggest that ORF57 protects viral RNAs from two different nuclear RNA QC pathways, PABPN1 and PAPα/γ-mediated RNA decay (PPD) and an ARS2-mediated RNA decay pathway. Mechanistically, we show that ORF57 binds directly to viral RNAs and prevents the recruitment of hMTR4, a cellular factor whose function is to recruit the exosome, the complex responsible for RNA decay, to the transcript. We conclude that by preventing hMTR4 recruitment, ORF57 protects viral RNAs from degradation resulting in robust expression of viral genes.