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Zhou C, Li T, Xia M, Wu Z, Zhong X, Li A, Rashid HK, Ma C, Zhou R, Duan H, Zhang X, Peng J, Li L. Bcl-2 Antagonist Obatoclax Reactivates Latent HIV-1 via the NF-κB Pathway and Induces Latent Reservoir Cell Apoptosis in Latently Infected Cells. ACS Infect Dis 2023; 9:2105-2118. [PMID: 37796279 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.3c00218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/06/2023]
Abstract
The implementation of combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) has rendered HIV-1 infection clinically manageable and efficiently improves the quality of life for patients with AIDS. However, the persistence of a latent HIV-1 reservoir is a major obstacle to achieving a cure for AIDS. A "shock and kill" strategy aims to reactivate latent HIV and then kill it by the immune system or cART drugs. To date, none of the LRA candidates has yet demonstrated effectiveness in achieving a promising functional cure. Interestingly, the phosphorylation and activation of antiapoptotic Bcl-2 protein induce resistance to apoptosis during HIV-1 infection and the reactivation of HIV-1 latency in central memory CD4+ T cells from HIV-1-positive patients. Therefore, a Bcl-2 antagonist might be an effective LRA candidate for HIV-1 cure. In this study, we reported that a pan-Bcl-2 antagonist obatoclax induces HIV-1 reactivation in latently infected cell lines in vitro and in PBMCs/CD4+ T cells of HIV-infected individuals ex vivo. Obatoclax promotes HIV-1 transcriptional initiation and elongation by regulating the NF-κB pathway. Obatoclax activates caspase 8 and does not induce the phosphorylation of the antiapoptotic protein Bcl-2 in latent HIV-1 infected cell lines. More importantly, it preferentially induces apoptosis in latently infected cells. In addition, obatoclax exhibited potent anti-HIV-1 activity on target cells. The abilities to reactivate latent HIV-1 reservoirs, inhibit HIV-1 infection, and induce HIV-1 latent cell apoptosis make obatoclax worth investigating for development as an ideal LRA for use in the "shock and kill" approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenliang Zhou
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Drug Metabolism, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, P. R. China
| | - Ting Li
- Aviation Hygiene Management Division, China Southern Airlines Company Limited, Guangzhou 510406, P. R. China
| | - Muye Xia
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research, Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, P. R. China
| | - Ziyao Wu
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Drug Metabolism, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, P. R. China
| | - Xuelin Zhong
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Drug Metabolism, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, P. R. China
| | - Axing Li
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Drug Metabolism, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, P. R. China
| | - Huba Khamis Rashid
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Drug Metabolism, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, P. R. China
| | - Chengnuo Ma
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Drug Metabolism, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, P. R. China
| | - Ruijing Zhou
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Drug Metabolism, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, P. R. China
| | - Heng Duan
- Department of Pharmacy, Stomatological Hospital, School of Stomatology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510280, Guangdong, P. R. China
| | - Xuanxuan Zhang
- Center for Drug Research and Development, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510006, Guangdong, P. R. China
| | - Jie Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research, Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, P. R. China
| | - Lin Li
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Drug Metabolism, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, P. R. China
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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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Kuznetsova AI, Munchak IM, Lebedev AV, Tumanov AS, Kim KV, Antonova AA, Ozhmegova EN, Pronin AY, Drobyshevskaya EV, Kazennova EV, Bobkova MR. [Genetic diversity of capsid protein (p24) in human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1) variants circulating in the Russian Federation]. Vopr Virusol 2023; 68:66-78. [PMID: 36961237 DOI: 10.36233/0507-4088-161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Indexed: 04/22/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) protein p24 plays an important role in the life cycle of the virus, and also is a target for diagnostic tests and for new antiretroviral drugs and therapeutic vaccines. The most studied variant of HIV-1 in the world is subtype B. In Russia, the most common variant is A6, the spread of recombinant forms (CRF63_02A6, CRF03_A6B) is observed as well as circulation of G and CRF02_AG variants. However, a detailed study of the p24 protein in these variants has not yet been conducted. The aim was to study the features of the p24 protein in HIV-1 variants circulating in Russia and estimate the frequency of occurrence of pre-existing mutations associated with resistance to lenacapavir, the first antiretroviral drug in the class of capsid inhibitors. MATERIALS AND METHODS The objects of the study were the nucleotide sequences obtained from the Los Alamos international database and clinical samples from HIV infected patients. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION The features of HIV-1 variants circulating in Russia have been determined. V86A, H87Q, I91F are characteristic substitutions in A6 genome. It is shown that the presence of preexisting mutations associated with resistance to lenacapavir is unlikely. CONCLUSION Features of the p24 protein in HIV-1 variants circulating in Russia allow them to be distinguished from others variants and among themselves. The prognosis for the use of lenacapavir in Russia is generally favorable. The results obtained could be taken into account in developing and using antiretroviral drugs and therapeutic vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- A I Kuznetsova
- D.I. Ivanovsky Institute of Virology of FSBI "National Reseach Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology named after Honorary Academician N.F. Gamaleya"
| | - I M Munchak
- D.I. Ivanovsky Institute of Virology of FSBI "National Reseach Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology named after Honorary Academician N.F. Gamaleya"
| | - A V Lebedev
- D.I. Ivanovsky Institute of Virology of FSBI "National Reseach Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology named after Honorary Academician N.F. Gamaleya"
| | - A S Tumanov
- D.I. Ivanovsky Institute of Virology of FSBI "National Reseach Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology named after Honorary Academician N.F. Gamaleya"
| | - K V Kim
- D.I. Ivanovsky Institute of Virology of FSBI "National Reseach Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology named after Honorary Academician N.F. Gamaleya"
| | - A A Antonova
- D.I. Ivanovsky Institute of Virology of FSBI "National Reseach Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology named after Honorary Academician N.F. Gamaleya"
| | - E N Ozhmegova
- D.I. Ivanovsky Institute of Virology of FSBI "National Reseach Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology named after Honorary Academician N.F. Gamaleya"
| | - A Y Pronin
- Moscow Regional Center for the Prevention and Control of AIDS and Infectious Diseases
| | - E V Drobyshevskaya
- Moscow Regional Center for the Prevention and Control of AIDS and Infectious Diseases
| | - E V Kazennova
- D.I. Ivanovsky Institute of Virology of FSBI "National Reseach Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology named after Honorary Academician N.F. Gamaleya"
| | - M R Bobkova
- D.I. Ivanovsky Institute of Virology of FSBI "National Reseach Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology named after Honorary Academician N.F. Gamaleya"
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Kim HI, Kim GN, Yu KL, Park SH, You JC. Identification of Novel Nucleocapsid Chimeric Proteins Inhibiting HIV-1 Replication. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232012340. [PMID: 36293198 PMCID: PMC9604505 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232012340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Revised: 10/04/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The positive transcription elongation factor b (P-TEFb) is an essential factor that induces transcription elongation and is also negatively regulated by the cellular factor HEXIM1. Previously, the chimeric protein HEXIM1-Tat (HT) was demonstrated to inhibit human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV)-1 transcription. In this study, we attempted to develop an improved antiviral protein that specifically binds viral RNA (vRNA) by fusing HT to HIV-1 nucleocapsid (NC). Thus, we synthesized NC-HEXIM1-Tat (NHT) and HEXIM1-Tat-NC (HTN). NHT and HTN inhibited virus proliferation more effectively than HT, and they did not attenuate the function of HT. Notably, NHT and HTN inhibited the infectivity of the progeny virus, whereas HT had no such effect. NHT and HTN selectively and effectively interacted with vRNA and inhibited the proper packaging of the HIV-1 genome. Taken together, our results illustrated that the novel NC-fused chimeric proteins NHT and HTN display novel mechanisms of anti-HIV effects by inhibiting both HIV-1 transcription and packaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hae-In Kim
- National Research Laboratory of Molecular Virology, Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, 222 Banpo-daero, Seocho-gu, Seoul 06591, Korea
| | - Ga-Na Kim
- National Research Laboratory of Molecular Virology, Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, 222 Banpo-daero, Seocho-gu, Seoul 06591, Korea
| | - Kyung-Lee Yu
- National Research Laboratory of Molecular Virology, Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, 222 Banpo-daero, Seocho-gu, Seoul 06591, Korea
| | - Seong-Hyun Park
- Graduate Program in Bio-industrial Engineering, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, The Yonsei University, 50-1 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 03722, Korea
| | - Ji Chang You
- National Research Laboratory of Molecular Virology, Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, 222 Banpo-daero, Seocho-gu, Seoul 06591, Korea
- Correspondence:
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Kuznetsova AI, Gromov KB, Kireev DE, Shlykova AV, Lopatukhin AE, Kazennova EV, Lebedev AV, Tumanov AS, Kim KV, Bobkova MR. [Analysis of Tat protein characteristics in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 sub-subtype A6 (Retroviridae: Orthoretrovirinae: Lentivirus: Human immunodeficiency virus-1)]. Vopr Virusol 2022; 66:452-464. [PMID: 35019252 DOI: 10.36233/0507-4088-83] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2022] [Accepted: 01/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Tat protein is a major factor of HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) transcription regulation and has other activities. Tat is characterized by high variability, with some amino acid substitutions, including subtypespecific ones, being able to influence on its functionality. HIV type 1 (HIV-1) sub-subtype A6 is the most widespread in Russia. Previous studies of the polymorphisms in structural regions of the A6 variant have shown numerous characteristic features; however, Tat polymorphism in A6 has not been studied.Goals and tasks. The main goal of the work was to analyze the characteristics of Tat protein in HIV-1 A6 variant, that is, to identify substitutions characteristic for A6 and A1 variants, as well as to compare the frequency of mutations in functionally significant domains in sub-subtype A6 and subtype B. MATERIAL AND METHODS The nucleotide sequences of HIV-1 sub-subtypes A6, A1, A2, A3, A4, subtype B and the reference nucleotide sequence were obtained from the Los Alamos international database. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Q54H and Q60H were identified as characteristic substitutions. Essential differences in natural polymorphisms between sub-subtypes A6 and A1 have been demonstrated. In the CPP-region, there were detected mutations (R53K, Q54H, Q54P, R57G) which were more common in sub-subtype A6 than in subtype B. CONCLUSION Tat protein of sub-subtype A6 have some characteristics that make it possible to reliably distinguish it from other HIV-1 variants. Mutations identified in the CPP region could potentially alter the activity of Tat. The data obtained could form the basis for the drugs and vaccines development.
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Affiliation(s)
- A I Kuznetsova
- D.I. Ivanovsky Institute of Virology FSBI «National Research Centre for Epidemiology and Microbiology named after the honorary academician N.F. Gamaleya» of the Ministry of Health of Russia
| | - K B Gromov
- D.I. Ivanovsky Institute of Virology FSBI «National Research Centre for Epidemiology and Microbiology named after the honorary academician N.F. Gamaleya» of the Ministry of Health of Russia; FSBI «Central Research Institute for Epidemiology» of the Federal Service for Supervision of Consumer Rights Protection and Human Welfare (Rospotrebnadzor)
| | - D E Kireev
- FSBI «Central Research Institute for Epidemiology» of the Federal Service for Supervision of Consumer Rights Protection and Human Welfare (Rospotrebnadzor)
| | - A V Shlykova
- FSBI «Central Research Institute for Epidemiology» of the Federal Service for Supervision of Consumer Rights Protection and Human Welfare (Rospotrebnadzor)
| | - A E Lopatukhin
- FSBI «Central Research Institute for Epidemiology» of the Federal Service for Supervision of Consumer Rights Protection and Human Welfare (Rospotrebnadzor)
| | - E V Kazennova
- D.I. Ivanovsky Institute of Virology FSBI «National Research Centre for Epidemiology and Microbiology named after the honorary academician N.F. Gamaleya» of the Ministry of Health of Russia
| | - A V Lebedev
- D.I. Ivanovsky Institute of Virology FSBI «National Research Centre for Epidemiology and Microbiology named after the honorary academician N.F. Gamaleya» of the Ministry of Health of Russia
| | - A S Tumanov
- D.I. Ivanovsky Institute of Virology FSBI «National Research Centre for Epidemiology and Microbiology named after the honorary academician N.F. Gamaleya» of the Ministry of Health of Russia
| | - K V Kim
- D.I. Ivanovsky Institute of Virology FSBI «National Research Centre for Epidemiology and Microbiology named after the honorary academician N.F. Gamaleya» of the Ministry of Health of Russia
| | - M R Bobkova
- D.I. Ivanovsky Institute of Virology FSBI «National Research Centre for Epidemiology and Microbiology named after the honorary academician N.F. Gamaleya» of the Ministry of Health of Russia
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Campbell GR, Spector SA. Induction of Autophagy to Achieve a Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Cure. Cells 2021; 10:cells10071798. [PMID: 34359967 PMCID: PMC8307643 DOI: 10.3390/cells10071798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2021] [Revised: 07/13/2021] [Accepted: 07/13/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Effective antiretroviral therapy has led to significant human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) suppression and improvement in immune function. However, the persistence of integrated proviral DNA in latently infected reservoir cells, which drive viral rebound post-interruption of antiretroviral therapy, remains the major roadblock to a cure. Therefore, the targeted elimination or permanent silencing of this latently infected reservoir is a major focus of HIV-1 research. The most studied approach in the development of a cure is the activation of HIV-1 expression to expose latently infected cells for immune clearance while inducing HIV-1 cytotoxicity—the “kick and kill” approach. However, the complex and highly heterogeneous nature of the latent reservoir, combined with the failure of clinical trials to reduce the reservoir size casts doubt on the feasibility of this approach. This concern that total elimination of HIV-1 from the body may not be possible has led to increased emphasis on a “functional cure” where the virus remains but is unable to reactivate which presents the challenge of permanently silencing transcription of HIV-1 for prolonged drug-free remission—a “block and lock” approach. In this review, we discuss the interaction of HIV-1 and autophagy, and the exploitation of autophagy to kill selectively HIV-1 latently infected cells as part of a cure strategy. The cure strategy proposed has the advantage of significantly decreasing the size of the HIV-1 reservoir that can contribute to a functional cure and when optimised has the potential to eradicate completely HIV-1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grant R. Campbell
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-858-534-7477
| | - Stephen A. Spector
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA;
- Rady Children’s Hospital, San Diego, CA 92123, USA
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Ali A, Mishra R, Kaur H, Chandra Banerjea A. HIV-1 Tat: An update on transcriptional and non-transcriptional functions. Biochimie 2021; 190:24-35. [PMID: 34242726 DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2021.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2021] [Revised: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 07/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Over the past decades, much have been learned about HIV-1 virus and its molecular strategies for pathogenesis. However, HIV-1 still remains an enigmatic virus, particularly because of its unique proteins. Establishment of latency and reactivation is still a puzzling question and various temporal and spatial dynamics between HIV-1 proteins itself have given us new way of thinking about its pathogenesis. HIV-1 replication depends on Tat which is a small unstructured protein and subjected to various post-translational modifications for its myriad of functions. HIV-1 Tat protein modulates the functions of various strategic cellular pathways like proteasomal machinery and inflammatory pathways to aid in HIV-1 pathogenesis. Many of the recent findings have shown that Tat is associated with exosomes, cleared from HIV-1 infected cells through its degradation by diverse routes ranging from lysosomal to proteasomal pathways. HIV-1 Tat was also found to be associated with other HIV-1 proteins including Vpr, Nef, Nucleocapsid (NC) and Rev. Interaction of Tat with Vpr and Nef increases its transactivation function, whereas, interaction of Tat with NC or Rev leads to Tat protein degradation and hence suppression of Tat functions. Research in the recent years has established that Tat is not only important for HIV-1 promoter transactivation and virus replication but also modulating multiple cellular and molecular functions leading to HIV-1 pathogenicity. In this review we discussed various transcriptional and non-transcriptional HIV-1 Tat functions which modulate host cell metabolism during HIV-1 pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amjad Ali
- Virology Lab, National Institute of Immunology, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi, 110067, India; Department of Molecular, Cell and Cancer Biology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01605, USA.
| | - Ritu Mishra
- Virology Lab, National Institute of Immunology, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi, 110067, India.
| | - Harsimrut Kaur
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, School of Basic Sciences and Research, Sharda University, Knowledge Park III, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, 201310, India.
| | - Akhil Chandra Banerjea
- Virology Lab, National Institute of Immunology, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi, 110067, India.
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Depicting HIV-1 Transcriptional Mechanisms: A Summary of What We Know. Viruses 2020; 12:v12121385. [PMID: 33287435 PMCID: PMC7761857 DOI: 10.3390/v12121385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2020] [Revised: 11/26/2020] [Accepted: 12/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite the introduction of combinatory antiretroviral therapy (cART), HIV-1 infection cannot be cured and is still one of the major health issues worldwide. Indeed, as soon as cART is interrupted, a rapid rebound of viremia is observed. The establishment of viral latency and the persistence of the virus in cellular reservoirs constitute the main barrier to HIV eradication. For this reason, new therapeutic approaches have emerged to purge or restrain the HIV-1 reservoirs in order to cure infected patients. However, the viral latency is a multifactorial process that depends on various cellular mechanisms. Since these new therapies mainly target viral transcription, their development requires a detailed and precise understanding of the regulatory mechanism underlying HIV-1 transcription. In this review, we discuss the complex molecular transcriptional network regulating HIV-1 gene expression by focusing on the involvement of host cell factors that could be used as potential drug targets to design new therapeutic strategies and, to a larger extent, to reach an HIV-1 functional cure.
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Cary DC, Peterlin BM. Proteasomal Inhibition Potentiates Latent HIV Reactivation. AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses 2020; 36:800-807. [PMID: 32683901 DOI: 10.1089/aid.2020.0040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite the success of antiretroviral therapy (ART), ART fails to eradicate the virus and HIV cure has remained beyond the reach of current treatments. ART targets replicating virally infected but not latently infected cells, which have limited expression of factors important for proliferation and cellular activity, including positive transcription elongation factor b (P-TEFb) and nuclear factor κB (NF-κB). Levels of the cyclin T1 (CycT1) subunit of P-TEFb are low to absent in resting T cells, and treatment with proteasome inhibitors (PIs) increases CycT1 protein levels to those of proliferating T cells. In this study, the clinically approved PI bortezomib reactivated latent HIV in latently infected primary CD4+ T cells. Bortezomib not only increased levels of CycT1 but also activated NF-κB. Strikingly, as opposed to most currently researched latency reversing agents (LRAs), bortezomib did not require a second LRA to potently reactivate latent HIV. Effects of bortezomib on resting T cells and reactivation of HIV suggest a possible direction for future attempts to diminish the viral reservoir in HIV+ individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniele C. Cary
- Department of Medicine, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - B. Matija Peterlin
- Department of Medicine, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
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Jin H, Li D, Lin MH, Li L, Harrich D. Tat-Based Therapies as an Adjuvant for an HIV-1 Functional Cure. Viruses 2020; 12:v12040415. [PMID: 32276443 PMCID: PMC7232260 DOI: 10.3390/v12040415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2020] [Revised: 03/31/2020] [Accepted: 04/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV) establishes a chronic infection that can be well controlled, but not cured, by combined antiretroviral therapy (cART). Interventions have been explored to accomplish a functional cure, meaning that a patient remains infected but HIV is undetectable in the blood, with the aim of allowing patients to live without cART. Tat, the viral transactivator of transcription protein, plays a critical role in controlling HIV transcription, latency, and viral rebound following the interruption of cART treatment. Therefore, a logical approach for controlling HIV would be to block Tat. Tackling Tat with inhibitors has been a difficult task, but some recent discoveries hold promise. Two anti-HIV proteins, Nullbasic (a mutant of Tat) and HT1 (a fusion of HEXIM1 and Tat functional domains) inhibit viral transcription by interfering with the interaction of Tat and cellular factors. Two small molecules, didehydro-cortistatin A (dCA) and triptolide, inhibit Tat by different mechanisms: dCA through direct binding and triptolide through enhanced proteasomal degradation. Finally, two Tat-based vaccines under development elicit Tat-neutralizing antibodies. These vaccines have increased the levels of CD4+ cells and reduced viral loads in HIV-infected people, suggesting that the new vaccines are therapeutic. This review summarizes recent developments of anti-Tat agents and how they could contribute to a functional cure for HIV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongping Jin
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Herston, QLD 4006, Australia; (H.J.); (D.L.); (M.-H.L.)
| | - Dongsheng Li
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Herston, QLD 4006, Australia; (H.J.); (D.L.); (M.-H.L.)
| | - Min-Hsuan Lin
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Herston, QLD 4006, Australia; (H.J.); (D.L.); (M.-H.L.)
| | - Li Li
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia;
| | - David Harrich
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Herston, QLD 4006, Australia; (H.J.); (D.L.); (M.-H.L.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +617-3845-3679
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Kong W, Biswas A, Zhou D, Fiches G, Fujinaga K, Santoso N, Zhu J. Nucleolar protein NOP2/NSUN1 suppresses HIV-1 transcription and promotes viral latency by competing with Tat for TAR binding and methylation. PLoS Pathog 2020; 16:e1008430. [PMID: 32176734 PMCID: PMC7098636 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1008430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2019] [Revised: 03/26/2020] [Accepted: 02/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent efforts have been paid to identify previously unrecognized HIV-1 latency-promoting genes (LPGs) that can potentially be targeted for eradication of HIV-1 latent reservoirs. From our earlier orthologous RNAi screens of host factors regulating HIV-1 replication, we identified that the nucleolar protein NOP2/NSUN1, a m5C RNA methyltransferase (MTase), is an HIV-1 restriction factor. Loss- and gain-of-function analyses confirmed that NOP2 restricts HIV-1 replication. Depletion of NOP2 promotes the reactivation of latently infected HIV-1 proviruses in multiple cell lines as well as primary CD4+ T cells, alone or in combination with latency-reversing agents (LRAs). Mechanistically, NOP2 associates with HIV-1 5' LTR, interacts with HIV-1 TAR RNA by competing with HIV-1 Tat protein, as well as contributes to TAR m5C methylation. RNA MTase catalytic domain (MTD) of NOP2 mediates its competition with Tat and binding with TAR. Overall, these findings verified that NOP2 suppresses HIV-1 transcription and promotes viral latency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weili Kong
- Department of Pathology, Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, Ohio, United States of America
- Gladstone Institute of Virology and Immunology, University of California, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Ayan Biswas
- Department of Pathology, Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Dawei Zhou
- Department of Pathology, Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Guillaume Fiches
- Department of Pathology, Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Koh Fujinaga
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Netty Santoso
- Department of Pathology, Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Jian Zhu
- Department of Pathology, Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, Ohio, United States of America
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P-TEFb as A Promising Therapeutic Target. Molecules 2020; 25:molecules25040838. [PMID: 32075058 PMCID: PMC7070488 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25040838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2020] [Revised: 02/06/2020] [Accepted: 02/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The positive transcription elongation factor b (P-TEFb) was first identified as a general factor that stimulates transcription elongation by RNA polymerase II (RNAPII), but soon afterwards it turned out to be an essential cellular co-factor of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transcription mediated by viral Tat proteins. Studies on the mechanisms of Tat-dependent HIV transcription have led to radical advances in our knowledge regarding the mechanism of eukaryotic transcription, including the discoveries that P-TEFb-mediated elongation control of cellular transcription is a main regulatory step of gene expression in eukaryotes, and deregulation of P-TEFb activity plays critical roles in many human diseases and conditions in addition to HIV/AIDS. P-TEFb is now recognized as an attractive and promising therapeutic target for inflammation/autoimmune diseases, cardiac hypertrophy, cancer, infectious diseases, etc. In this review article, I will summarize our knowledge about basic P-TEFb functions, the regulatory mechanism of P-TEFb-dependent transcription, P-TEFb’s involvement in biological processes and diseases, and current approaches to manipulating P-TEFb functions for the treatment of these diseases.
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Olson A, Basukala B, Wong WW, Henderson AJ. Targeting HIV-1 proviral transcription. Curr Opin Virol 2019; 38:89-96. [PMID: 31473372 DOI: 10.1016/j.coviro.2019.07.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2019] [Revised: 07/29/2019] [Accepted: 07/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Despite the success of antiretroviral therapies, there is no cure for HIV-1 infection due to the establishment of a long-lived latent reservoir that fuels viral rebound upon treatment interruption. 'Shock-and-kill' strategies to diminish the latent reservoir have had modest impact on the reservoir leading to considerations of alternative approaches to target HIV-1 proviruses. This review explores approaches to target HIV-1 transcription as a way to block the provirus expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex Olson
- Department of Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, Boston University School of Medicine, United States
| | - Binita Basukala
- Cell & Molecular Biology, Biology, Boston University, United States
| | - Wilson W Wong
- Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, United States
| | - Andrew J Henderson
- Department of Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, Boston University School of Medicine, United States.
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Cat and Mouse: HIV Transcription in Latency, Immune Evasion and Cure/Remission Strategies. Viruses 2019; 11:v11030269. [PMID: 30889861 PMCID: PMC6466452 DOI: 10.3390/v11030269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2019] [Revised: 03/04/2019] [Accepted: 03/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
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.
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