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Mbonye U, Karn J. The cell biology of HIV-1 latency and rebound. Retrovirology 2024; 21:6. [PMID: 38580979 PMCID: PMC10996279 DOI: 10.1186/s12977-024-00639-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Transcriptionally latent forms of replication-competent proviruses, present primarily in a small subset of memory CD4+ T cells, pose the primary barrier to a cure for HIV-1 infection because they are the source of the viral rebound that almost inevitably follows the interruption of antiretroviral therapy. Over the last 30 years, many of the factors essential for initiating HIV-1 transcription have been identified in studies performed using transformed cell lines, such as the Jurkat T-cell model. However, as highlighted in this review, several poorly understood mechanisms still need to be elucidated, including the molecular basis for promoter-proximal pausing of the transcribing complex and the detailed mechanism of the delivery of P-TEFb from 7SK snRNP. Furthermore, the central paradox of HIV-1 transcription remains unsolved: how are the initial rounds of transcription achieved in the absence of Tat? A critical limitation of the transformed cell models is that they do not recapitulate the transitions between active effector cells and quiescent memory T cells. Therefore, investigation of the molecular mechanisms of HIV-1 latency reversal and LRA efficacy in a proper physiological context requires the utilization of primary cell models. Recent mechanistic studies of HIV-1 transcription using latently infected cells recovered from donors and ex vivo cellular models of viral latency have demonstrated that the primary blocks to HIV-1 transcription in memory CD4+ T cells are restrictive epigenetic features at the proviral promoter, the cytoplasmic sequestration of key transcription initiation factors such as NFAT and NF-κB, and the vanishingly low expression of the cellular transcription elongation factor P-TEFb. One of the foremost schemes to eliminate the residual reservoir is to deliberately reactivate latent HIV-1 proviruses to enable clearance of persisting latently infected cells-the "Shock and Kill" strategy. For "Shock and Kill" to become efficient, effective, non-toxic latency-reversing agents (LRAs) must be discovered. Since multiple restrictions limit viral reactivation in primary cells, understanding the T-cell signaling mechanisms that are essential for stimulating P-TEFb biogenesis, initiation factor activation, and reversing the proviral epigenetic restrictions have become a prerequisite for the development of more effective LRAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Uri Mbonye
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA.
| | - Jonathan Karn
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA.
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2
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Tassaneetrithep B, Phuphuakrat A, Pasomsub E, Bhukhai K, Wongkummool W, Priengprom T, Khamaikawin W, Chaisavaneeyakorn S, Anurathapan U, Apiwattanakul N, Hongeng S. HIV-1 proviral DNA in purified peripheral blood CD34 + stem and progenitor cells in individuals with long-term HAART; paving the way to HIV gene therapy. Heliyon 2024; 10:e26613. [PMID: 38434025 PMCID: PMC10906414 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e26613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Revised: 02/03/2024] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 infection is an important public health problem worldwide. After primary HIV-1 infection, transcribed HIV-1 DNA is integrated into the host genome, serving as a reservoir of the virus and hindering a definite cure. Although highly active antiretroviral therapy suppresses active viral replication, resulting in undetectable levels of HIV RNA in the blood, a viral rebound can be detected after a few weeks of treatment interruption. This supports the concept that there is a stable HIV-1 reservoir in people living with HIV-1. Recently, a few individuals with HIV infection were reported to be probably cured by hematopoietic stem transplantation (HSCT). The underlying mechanism for this success involved transfusion of uninfected hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) from CCR5-mutated donors who were naturally resistant to HIV infection. Thus, gene editing technology to provide HIV-resistant HSPC has promise in the treatment of HIV infections by HSCT. In this study, we aimed to find HIV-infected individuals likely to achieve a definite cure via gene editing HSCT. We screened for total HIV proviral DNA by Alu PCR in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of 20 HIV-infected individuals with prolonged viral suppression. We assessed the amount of intact proviral DNA via a modified intact proviral DNA assay (IPDA) in purified peripheral CD34+ HSPCs. PBMCs from all 20 individuals were positive for the gag gene in Alu PCR, and peripheral CD34+ HSPCs were IPDA-negative for six individuals. Our results suggested that these six HIV-infected individuals could be candidates for further studies into the ability of gene editing HSCT to lead to a definite HIV cure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boonrat Tassaneetrithep
- Center of Research Excellence in Immunoregulation, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Thailand
| | - Angsana Phuphuakrat
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Thailand
| | - Ekawat Pasomsub
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Thailand
| | - Kanit Bhukhai
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Thailand
| | | | - Thongkoon Priengprom
- Center of Research Excellence in Immunoregulation, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Thailand
| | - Wannisa Khamaikawin
- Faculty of Medicine, King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang, Thailand
| | | | - Usanarat Anurathapan
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Thailand
| | - Nopporn Apiwattanakul
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Thailand
| | - Suradej Hongeng
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Thailand
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Rausch JW, Parvez S, Pathak S, Capoferri AA, Kearney MF. HIV Expression in Infected T Cell Clones. Viruses 2024; 16:108. [PMID: 38257808 PMCID: PMC10820123 DOI: 10.3390/v16010108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Revised: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 01/06/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
The principal barrier to an HIV-1 cure is the persistence of infected cells harboring replication-competent proviruses despite antiretroviral therapy (ART). HIV-1 transcriptional suppression, referred to as viral latency, is foremost among persistence determinants, as it allows infected cells to evade the cytopathic effects of virion production and killing by cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) and other immune factors. HIV-1 persistence is also governed by cellular proliferation, an innate and essential capacity of CD4+ T cells that both sustains cell populations over time and enables a robust directed response to immunological threats. However, when HIV-1 infects CD4+ T cells, this capacity for proliferation can enable surreptitious HIV-1 propagation without the deleterious effects of viral gene expression in latently infected cells. Over time on ART, the HIV-1 reservoir is shaped by both persistence determinants, with selective forces most often favoring clonally expanded infected cell populations harboring transcriptionally quiescent proviruses. Moreover, if HIV latency is incomplete or sporadically reversed in clonal infected cell populations that are replenished faster than they are depleted, such populations could both persist indefinitely and contribute to low-level persistent viremia during ART and viremic rebound if treatment is withdrawn. In this review, select genetic, epigenetic, cellular, and immunological determinants of viral transcriptional suppression and clonal expansion of HIV-1 reservoir T cells, interdependencies among these determinants, and implications for HIV-1 persistence will be presented and discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason W. Rausch
- HIV Dynamics and Replication Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702, USA; (S.P.); (S.P.); (A.A.C.); (M.F.K.)
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4
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Zhang X, Qazi AA, Deshmukh S, Lobato Ventura R, Mukim A, Beliakova-Bethell N. Single-cell RNA sequencing reveals common and unique gene expression profiles in primary CD4+ T cells latently infected with HIV under different conditions. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 13:1286168. [PMID: 38156317 PMCID: PMC10754520 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1286168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The latent HIV reservoir represents the major barrier to a cure. One curative strategy is targeting diseased cells for elimination based on biomarkers that uniquely define these cells. Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) has enabled the identification of gene expression profiles associated with disease at the single-cell level. Because HIV provirus in many cells during latency is not entirely silent, it became possible to determine gene expression patterns in a subset of cells latently infected with HIV. Objective The primary objective of this study was the identification of the gene expression profiles of single latently infected CD4+ T cells using scRNA-seq. Different conditions of latency establishment were considered. The identified profiles were then explored to prioritize the identified genes for future experimental validation. Methods To facilitate gene prioritization, three approaches were used. First, we characterized and compared the gene expression profiles of HIV latency established in different environments: in cells that encountered an activation stimulus and then returned to quiescence, and in resting cells that were infected directly via cell-to-cell viral transmission from autologous activated, productively infected cells. Second, we characterized and compared the gene expression profiles of HIV latency established with viruses of different tropisms, using an isogenic pair of CXCR4- and CCR5-tropic viruses. Lastly, we used proviral expression patterns in cells from people with HIV to more accurately define the latently infected cells in vitro. Results Our analyses demonstrated that a subset of genes is expressed differentially between latently infected and uninfected cells consistently under most conditions tested, including cells from people with HIV. Our second important observation was the presence of latency signatures, associated with variable conditions when latency was established, including cellular exposure and responsiveness to a T cell receptor stimulus and the tropism of the infecting virus. Conclusion Common signatures, specifically genes that encode proteins localized to the cell surface, should be prioritized for further testing at the protein level as biomarkers for the ability to enrich or target latently infected cells. Cell- and tropism-dependent biomarkers may need to be considered in developing targeting strategies to ensure that all the different reservoir subsets are eliminated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinlian Zhang
- Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science, University of California, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Andrew A. Qazi
- Veterans Affairs (VA), San Diego Healthcare System and Veterans Medical Research Foundation, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Savitha Deshmukh
- Veterans Affairs (VA), San Diego Healthcare System and Veterans Medical Research Foundation, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Roni Lobato Ventura
- Veterans Affairs (VA), San Diego Healthcare System and Veterans Medical Research Foundation, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Amey Mukim
- Veterans Affairs (VA), San Diego Healthcare System and Veterans Medical Research Foundation, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Nadejda Beliakova-Bethell
- Veterans Affairs (VA), San Diego Healthcare System and Veterans Medical Research Foundation, San Diego, CA, United States
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, CA, United States
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5
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Kinloch NN, Shahid A, Dong W, Kirkby D, Jones BR, Beelen CJ, MacMillan D, Lee GQ, Mota TM, Sudderuddin H, Barad E, Harris M, Brumme CJ, Jones RB, Brockman MA, Joy JB, Brumme ZL. HIV reservoirs are dominated by genetically younger and clonally enriched proviruses. mBio 2023; 14:e0241723. [PMID: 37971267 PMCID: PMC10746175 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02417-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Characterizing the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) reservoir that endures despite antiretroviral therapy (ART) is critical to cure efforts. We observed that the oldest proviruses persisting during ART were exclusively defective, while intact proviruses (and rebound HIV) dated to nearer ART initiation. This helps explain why studies that sampled sub-genomic proviruses on-ART (which are largely defective) routinely found sequences dating to early infection, whereas those that sampled replication-competent HIV found almost none. Together with our findings that intact proviruses were more likely to be clonal, and that on-ART low-level/isolated viremia originated from proviruses of varying ages (including possibly defective ones), our observations indicate that (i) on-ART and rebound viremia can have distinct within-host origins, (ii) intact proviruses have shorter lifespans than grossly defective ones and thus depend more heavily on clonal expansion for persistence, and (iii) an HIV reservoir predominantly "dating" to near ART initiation will be substantially adapted to within-host pressures, complicating immune-based cure strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie N. Kinloch
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
- British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Aniqa Shahid
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
- British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Winnie Dong
- British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Don Kirkby
- British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Bradley R. Jones
- British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Bioinformatics Program, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Charlotte J. Beelen
- British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Daniel MacMillan
- British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Guinevere Q. Lee
- Infectious Diseases Division, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York, USA
| | - Talia M. Mota
- Infectious Diseases Division, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York, USA
| | - Hanwei Sudderuddin
- British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Experimental Medicine Program, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Evan Barad
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
- British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Marianne Harris
- British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Department of Family Practice, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Chanson J. Brumme
- British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - R. Brad Jones
- Infectious Diseases Division, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York, USA
| | - Mark A. Brockman
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Jeffrey B. Joy
- British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Bioinformatics Program, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Department of Medicine, 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
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Singh K, Natarajan V, Dewar R, Rupert A, Badralmaa Y, Zhai T, Winchester N, Scrimieri F, Smith M, Davis I, Lallemand P, Giglietti A, Hensien J, Buerkert T, Goshu B, Rehm CA, Hu Z, Lane HC, Imamichi H. Long-term persistence of transcriptionally active 'defective' HIV-1 proviruses: implications for persistent immune activation during antiretroviral therapy. AIDS 2023; 37:2119-2130. [PMID: 37555786 PMCID: PMC10615727 DOI: 10.1097/qad.0000000000003667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Revised: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/22/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES People with HIV-1 (PWH) on effective antiretroviral therapy (ART) continue to exhibit chronic systemic inflammation, immune activation, and persistent elevations in markers of HIV-1 infection [including HIV-DNA, cell-associated HIV-RNA (CA HIV-RNA), and antibodies to HIV-1 proteins] despite prolonged suppression of plasma HIV-RNA levels less than 50 copies/ml. Here, we investigated the hypothesis that nonreplicating but transcriptionally and translationally competent 'defective' HIV-1 proviruses may be one of drivers of these phenomena. DESIGN A combined cohort of 23 viremic and virologically suppressed individuals on ART were studied. METHODS HIV-DNA, CA HIV-RNA, western blot score (measure of anti-HIV-1 antibodies as a surrogate for viral protein expression in vivo ), and key biomarkers of inflammation and coagulation (IL-6, hsCRP, TNF-alpha, tissue factor, and D-dimer) were measured in peripheral blood and analyzed using a combined cross-sectional and longitudinal approaches. Sequences of HIV-DNA and CA HIV-RNA obtained via 5'-LTR-to-3'-LTR PCR and single-genome sequencing were also analyzed. RESULTS We observed similar long-term persistence of multiple, unique, transcriptionally active 'defective' HIV-1 provirus clones (average: 11 years., range: 4-20 years) and antibody responses against HIV-1 viral proteins among all ART-treated participants evaluated. A direct correlation was observed between the magnitude of HIV-1 western blot score and the levels of transcription of 'defective' HIV-1 proviruses ( r = 0.73, P < 0.01). Additional correlations were noted between total CD8 + T-cell counts and HIV-DNA ( r = 0.52, P = 0.01) or CA HIV-RNA ( r = 0.65, P < 0.01). CONCLUSION These findings suggest a novel interplay between transcription and translation of 'defective' HIV-1 proviruses and the persistent immune activation seen in the setting of treated chronic HIV-1 infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kanal Singh
- Clinical and Molecular Retrovirology Section, Laboratory of Immunoregulation, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH, Bethesda
| | - Ven Natarajan
- Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick
| | - Robin Dewar
- Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick
| | - Adam Rupert
- Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick
| | - Yuden Badralmaa
- Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick
| | - Tracey Zhai
- Clinical and Molecular Retrovirology Section, Laboratory of Immunoregulation, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH, Bethesda
| | - Nicole Winchester
- Clinical and Molecular Retrovirology Section, Laboratory of Immunoregulation, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH, Bethesda
| | | | - Mindy Smith
- Clinical and Molecular Retrovirology Section, Laboratory of Immunoregulation, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH, Bethesda
| | - Ivery Davis
- Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick
| | | | - Aude Giglietti
- Clinical and Molecular Retrovirology Section, Laboratory of Immunoregulation, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH, Bethesda
| | - Jack Hensien
- Clinical and Molecular Retrovirology Section, Laboratory of Immunoregulation, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH, Bethesda
| | - Thomas Buerkert
- Clinical and Molecular Retrovirology Section, Laboratory of Immunoregulation, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH, Bethesda
| | - Bruktawit Goshu
- Clinical and Molecular Retrovirology Section, Laboratory of Immunoregulation, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH, Bethesda
| | - Catherine A. Rehm
- Clinical Research Section, Laboratory of Immunoregulation, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH
| | - Zonghui Hu
- Biostatistics Research Branch, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - H. Clifford Lane
- Clinical and Molecular Retrovirology Section, Laboratory of Immunoregulation, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH, Bethesda
| | - Hiromi Imamichi
- Clinical and Molecular Retrovirology Section, Laboratory of Immunoregulation, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH, Bethesda
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7
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Dragoni F, Kwaa AK, Traut CC, Veenhuis RT, Woldemeskel BA, Camilo-Contreras A, Raymond HE, Dykema AG, Scully EP, Rosecrans AM, Smith KN, Bushman FD, Simonetti FR, Blankson JN. Proviral location affects cognate peptide-induced virus production and immune recognition of HIV-1-infected T cell clones. J Clin Invest 2023; 133:e171097. [PMID: 37698927 PMCID: PMC10617777 DOI: 10.1172/jci171097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 09/14/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUNDHIV-1-infected CD4+ T cells contribute to latent reservoir persistence by proliferating while avoiding immune recognition. Integration features of intact proviruses in elite controllers (ECs) and people on long-term therapy suggest that proviruses in specific chromosomal locations can evade immune surveillance. However, direct evidence of this mechanism is missing.METHODSIn this case report, we characterized integration sites and full genome sequences of expanded T cell clones in an EC before and after chemoradiation. We identified the cognate peptide of infected clones to investigate cell proliferation and virus production induced by T cell activation, and susceptibility to autologous CD8+ T cells.RESULTSThe proviral landscape was dominated by 2 large clones with replication-competent proviruses integrated into zinc finger (ZNF) genes (ZNF470 and ZNF721) in locations previously associated with deeper latency. A third nearly intact provirus, with a stop codon in Pol, was integrated into an intergenic site. Upon stimulation with cognate Gag peptides, infected clones proliferated extensively and produced virus, but the provirus in ZNF721 was 200-fold less inducible. While autologous CD8+ T cells decreased the proliferation of cells carrying the intergenic provirus, they had no effect on cells with the provirus in the ZNF721 gene.CONCLUSIONSWe provide direct evidence that upon activation of infected clones by cognate antigen, the lower inducibility of intact proviruses in ZNF genes can result in immune evasion and persistence.FUNDINGOffice of the NIH Director and National Institute of Dental & Craniofacial Research; NIAID, NIH; Johns Hopkins University Center for AIDS Research.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Rebecca T. Veenhuis
- Department of Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology, and
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | | | | | - Hayley E. Raymond
- Department of Microbiology, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Arbor G. Dykema
- Bloomberg~Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, and
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | | | | | - Kellie N. Smith
- Bloomberg~Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, and
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Frederic D. Bushman
- Department of Microbiology, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | | | - Joel N. Blankson
- Department of Medicine
- Department of Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology, and
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8
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Sanders-Beer BE, Archin NM, Brumme ZL, Busch MP, Deleage C, O'Doherty U, Hughes SH, Jerome KR, Jones RB, Karn J, Kearney MF, Keele BF, Kulpa DA, Laird GM, Li JZ, Lichterfeld MD, Nussenzweig MC, Persaud D, Yukl SA, Siliciano RF, Mellors JW. Current HIV/SIV Reservoir Assays for Preclinical and Clinical Applications: Recommendations from the Experts 2022 NIAID Workshop Summary. AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses 2023; 40:7-21. [PMID: 37126090 DOI: 10.1089/aid.2022.0188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Since the first HIV-cured person was reported in 2009, a strong interest in developing highly sensitive HIV and SIV reservoir assays has emerged. In particular, the question arose about the comparative value of state-of-the-art assays to measure and characterize the HIV reservoir, and how these assays can be applied to accurately detect changes in the reservoir during efforts to develop a cure for HIV infection. Second, it is important to consider the impact on the outcome of clinical trials if these relatively new HIV reservoir assays are incorporated into clinical trial endpoints and/or used for clinical decision-making. To understand the advantages and limitations and the regulatory implications of HIV reservoir assays, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) sponsored and convened a meeting on September 16, 2022, to discuss the state of knowledge concerning these questions and best practices for selecting HIV reservoir assays for a particular research question or clinical trial protocol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brigitte E Sanders-Beer
- National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Nancie M Archin
- Division of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Zabrina L Brumme
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Michael P Busch
- Vitalant Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Claire Deleage
- AIDS and Cancer Virus Program, Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research (FNLCR), Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Una O'Doherty
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Stephen H Hughes
- HIV Dynamics and Replication Program, CCR, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Keith R Jerome
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, and Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - R Brad Jones
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Jonathan Karn
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Mary F Kearney
- HIV Dynamics and Replication Program, CCR, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Brandon F Keele
- AIDS and Cancer Virus Program, Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research (FNLCR), Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Deanna A Kulpa
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | | | - Jonathan Z Li
- Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Mathias D Lichterfeld
- Brigham and Women's Hospital and Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Michel C Nussenzweig
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Deborah Persaud
- Department of Pediatric Infectious Disease, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Steven A Yukl
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco (UCSF) and San Francisco VA Medical Center, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Robert F Siliciano
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - John W Mellors
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
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9
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Kinloch NN, Shahid A, Dong W, Kirkby D, Jones BR, Beelen CJ, MacMillan D, Lee GQ, Mota TM, Sudderuddin H, Barad E, Harris M, Brumme CJ, Jones RB, Brockman MA, Joy JB, Brumme ZL. HIV reservoirs are dominated by genetically younger and clonally enriched proviruses. bioRxiv 2023:2023.04.12.536611. [PMID: 37090500 PMCID: PMC10120704 DOI: 10.1101/2023.04.12.536611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/25/2023]
Abstract
In order to cure HIV, we need to better understand the within-host evolutionary origins of the small reservoir of genome-intact proviruses that persists within infected cells during antiretroviral therapy (ART). Most prior studies on reservoir evolutionary dynamics however did not discriminate genome-intact proviruses from the vast background of defective ones. We reconstructed within-host pre-ART HIV evolutionary histories in six individuals and leveraged this information to infer the ages of intact and defective proviruses sampled after an average >9 years on ART, along with the ages of rebound and low-level/isolated viremia occurring during this time. We observed that the longest-lived proviruses persisting on ART were exclusively defective, usually due to large deletions. In contrast, intact proviruses and rebound HIV exclusively dated to the years immediately preceding ART. These observations are consistent with genome-intact proviruses having shorter lifespans, likely due to the cumulative risk of elimination following viral reactivation and protein production. Consistent with this, intact proviruses (and those with packaging signal defects) were three times more likely to be genetically identical compared to other proviral types, highlighting clonal expansion as particularly important in ensuring their survival. By contrast, low-level/isolated viremia sequences were genetically heterogeneous and sometimes ancestral, where viremia may have originated from defective proviruses. Results reveal that the HIV reservoir is dominated by clonally-enriched and genetically younger sequences that date to the untreated infection period when viral populations had been under within-host selection pressures for the longest duration. Knowledge of these qualities may help focus strategies for reservoir elimination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie N. Kinloch
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC
- British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, Vancouver, BC
| | - Aniqa Shahid
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC
- British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, Vancouver, BC
| | - Winnie Dong
- British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, Vancouver, BC
| | - Don Kirkby
- British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, Vancouver, BC
| | - Bradley R. Jones
- British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, Vancouver, BC
- Bioinformatics Program, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC
| | | | - Daniel MacMillan
- British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, Vancouver, BC
| | - Guinevere Q. Lee
- Infectious Diseases Division, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA
| | - Talia M. Mota
- Infectious Diseases Division, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA
| | - Hanwei Sudderuddin
- British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, Vancouver, BC
- Experimental Medicine Program, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC
| | - Evan Barad
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC
- British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, Vancouver, BC
| | - Marianne Harris
- British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, Vancouver, BC
- Department of Family Practice, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC
| | - Chanson J. Brumme
- British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, Vancouver, BC
- Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC
| | - R. Brad Jones
- Infectious Diseases Division, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA
| | - Mark A. Brockman
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby BC
| | - Jeffrey B. Joy
- British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, Vancouver, BC
- Bioinformatics Program, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC
- Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC
| | - Zabrina L. Brumme
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC
- British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, Vancouver, BC
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10
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Pasternak AO, Berkhout B. HIV persistence: silence or resistance? Curr Opin Virol 2023; 59:101301. [PMID: 36805974 DOI: 10.1016/j.coviro.2023.101301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2022] [Revised: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 02/19/2023]
Abstract
Despite decades of suppressive antiretroviral therapy, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) reservoirs in infected individuals persist and fuel viral rebound once therapy is interrupted. The persistence of viral reservoirs is the main obstacle to achieving HIV eradication or a long-term remission. The last decade has seen a profound change in our understanding of the mechanisms behind HIV persistence, which appears to be much more complex than originally assumed. In addition to the persistence of transcriptionally silent proviruses in a stable latent reservoir that is invisible to the immune system, HIV is increasingly recognized to persist by resistance to the immune clearance, which appears to play a surprisingly prominent role in shaping the reservoir. In this review, we discuss some emerging insights into the mechanisms of HIV persistence, as well as their implications for the development of strategies towards an HIV cure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander O Pasternak
- Laboratory of Experimental Virology, Department of Medical Microbiology, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - Ben Berkhout
- Laboratory of Experimental Virology, Department of Medical Microbiology, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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11
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White JA, Wu F, Yasin S, Moskovljevic M, Varriale J, Dragoni F, Camilo-Contreras A, Duan J, Zheng MY, Tadzong NF, Patel HB, Quiambao JMC, Rhodehouse K, Zhang H, Lai J, Beg SA, Delannoy M, Kilcrease C, Hoffmann CJ, Poulin S, Chano F, Tremblay C, Cherian J, Barditch-Crovo P, Chida N, Moore RD, Summers MF, Siliciano RF, Siliciano JD, Simonetti FR. Clonally expanded HIV-1 proviruses with 5'-leader defects can give rise to nonsuppressible residual viremia. J Clin Invest 2023; 133:165245. [PMID: 36602866 PMCID: PMC10014112 DOI: 10.1172/jci165245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 33.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BackgroundAntiretroviral therapy (ART) halts HIV-1 replication, decreasing viremia to below the detection limit of clinical assays. However, some individuals experience persistent nonsuppressible viremia (NSV) originating from CD4+ T cell clones carrying infectious proviruses. Defective proviruses represent over 90% of all proviruses persisting during ART and can express viral genes, but whether they can cause NSV and complicate ART management is unknown.MethodsWe undertook an in-depth characterization of proviruses causing NSV in 4 study participants with optimal adherence and no drug resistance. We investigated the impact of the observed defects on 5'-leader RNA properties, virus infectivity, and gene expression. Integration-site specific assays were used to track these proviruses over time and among cell subsets.ResultsClones carrying proviruses with 5'-leader defects can cause persistent NSV up to approximately 103 copies/mL. These proviruses had small, often identical deletions or point mutations involving the major splicing donor (MSD) site and showed partially reduced RNA dimerization and nucleocapsid binding. Nevertheless, they were inducible and produced noninfectious virions containing viral RNA, but lacking envelope.ConclusionThese findings show that proviruses with 5'-leader defects in CD4+ T cell clones can give rise to NSV, affecting clinical care. Sequencing of the 5'-leader can help in understanding failure to completely suppress viremia.FundingOffice of the NIH Director and National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, NIH; Howard Hughes Medical Institute; Johns Hopkins University Center for AIDS Research; National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), NIH, to the PAVE, BEAT-HIV, and DARE Martin Delaney collaboratories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer A White
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Fengting Wu
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Saif Yasin
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Milica Moskovljevic
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Joseph Varriale
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Filippo Dragoni
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | | | - Jiayi Duan
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Mei Y Zheng
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Ndeh F Tadzong
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Heer B Patel
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Jeanelle Mae C Quiambao
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Kyle Rhodehouse
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Hao Zhang
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Jun Lai
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Subul A Beg
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Michael Delannoy
- Institute for Basic Biomedical Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Christin Kilcrease
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Christopher J Hoffmann
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | | | | | - Cécile Tremblay
- Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM), Montreal, Canada.,Département de Microbiologie, Immunologie et Infectiologie, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Canada
| | - Jerald Cherian
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Patricia Barditch-Crovo
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Natasha Chida
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Richard D Moore
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Michael F Summers
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Robert F Siliciano
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Janet D Siliciano
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Francesco R Simonetti
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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12
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Dufour C, Richard C, Pardons M, Massanella M, Ackaoui A, Murrell B, Routy B, Thomas R, Routy JP, Fromentin R, Chomont N. Phenotypic characterization of single CD4+ T cells harboring genetically intact and inducible HIV genomes. Nat Commun 2023; 14:1115. [PMID: 36849523 PMCID: PMC9971253 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-36772-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The phenotype of the rare HIV-infected cells persisting during antiretroviral therapies (ART) remains elusive. We developed a single-cell approach that combines the phenotypic analysis of HIV-infected cells with near full-length sequencing of their associated proviruses to characterize the viral reservoir in 6 male individuals on suppressive ART. We show that individual cells carrying clonally expanded identical proviruses display very diverse phenotypes, indicating that cellular proliferation contributes to the phenotypic diversification of the HIV reservoir. Unlike most viral genomes persisting on ART, inducible and translation-competent proviruses rarely present large deletions but are enriched in defects in the Ψ locus. Interestingly, the few cells harboring genetically intact and inducible viral genomes express higher levels of the integrin VLA-4 compared to uninfected cells or cells with defective proviruses. Viral outgrowth assay confirmed that memory CD4+ T cells expressing high levels of VLA-4 are highly enriched in replication-competent HIV (27-fold enrichment). We conclude that although clonal expansions diversify the phenotype of HIV reservoir cells, CD4+ T cells harboring replication-competent HIV retain VLA-4 expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Dufour
- Centre de Recherche du CHUM and Department of Microbiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Université de Montréal, Montreal, H2X 0A9, Quebec, Canada
| | - Corentin Richard
- Centre de Recherche du CHUM and Department of Microbiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Université de Montréal, Montreal, H2X 0A9, Quebec, Canada
| | - Marion Pardons
- Centre de Recherche du CHUM and Department of Microbiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Université de Montréal, Montreal, H2X 0A9, Quebec, Canada
| | - Marta Massanella
- Centre de Recherche du CHUM and Department of Microbiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Université de Montréal, Montreal, H2X 0A9, Quebec, Canada
| | - Antoine Ackaoui
- Centre de Recherche du CHUM and Department of Microbiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Université de Montréal, Montreal, H2X 0A9, Quebec, Canada
| | - Ben Murrell
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, 171 77, Sweden
| | - Bertrand Routy
- Centre de Recherche du CHUM and Department of Microbiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Université de Montréal, Montreal, H2X 0A9, Quebec, Canada
| | - Réjean Thomas
- Clinique médicale l'Actuel, Montreal, H2L 4P9, Quebec, Canada
| | - Jean-Pierre Routy
- Division of Hematology & Chronic Viral Illness Service, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, H4A 3J1, Quebec, Canada
| | - Rémi Fromentin
- Centre de Recherche du CHUM and Department of Microbiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Université de Montréal, Montreal, H2X 0A9, Quebec, Canada
| | - Nicolas Chomont
- Centre de Recherche du CHUM and Department of Microbiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Université de Montréal, Montreal, H2X 0A9, Quebec, Canada.
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13
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Li R, Caico I, Xu Z, Iqbal MS, Romerio F. Epigenetic Regulation of HIV-1 Sense and Antisense Transcription in Response to Latency-Reversing Agents. Noncoding RNA 2023; 9. [PMID: 36649034 DOI: 10.3390/ncrna9010005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2022] [Revised: 12/29/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Nucleosomes positioned on the HIV-1 5' long terminal repeat (LTR) regulate sense transcription as well as the establishment and maintenance of latency. A negative-sense promoter (NSP) in the 3' LTR expresses antisense transcripts with coding and non-coding activities. Previous studies identified cis-acting elements that modulate NSP activity. Here, we used the two chronically infected T cell lines, ACH-2 and J1.1, to investigate epigenetic regulation of NSP activity. We found that histones H3 and H4 are present on the 3' LTR in both cell lines. Following treatment with histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi), the levels of H3K27Ac increased and histone occupancy declined. HDACi treatment also led to increased levels of RNA polymerase II (RNPII) at NSP, and antisense transcription was induced with similar kinetics and to a similar extent as 5' LTR-driven sense transcription. We also detected H3K9me2 and H3K27me3 on NSP, along with the enzymes responsible for these epigenetic marks, namely G9a and EZH2, respectively. Treatment with their respective inhibitors had little or no effect on RNPII occupancy at the two LTRs, but it induced both sense and antisense transcription. Moreover, the increased expression of antisense transcripts in response to treatment with a panel of eleven latency-reversing agents closely paralleled and was often greater than the effect on sense transcripts. Thus, HIV-1 sense and antisense RNA expression are both regulated via acetylation and methylation of lysine 9 and 27 on histone H3. Since HIV-1 antisense transcripts act as non-coding RNAs promoting epigenetic silencing of the 5' LTR, our results suggest that the limited efficacy of latency-reversing agents in the context of 'shock and kill' cure strategies may be due to concurrent induction of antisense transcripts thwarting their effect on sense transcription.
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14
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Riggs PK, Chaillon A, Jiang G, Letendre SL, Tang Y, Taylor J, Kaytes A, Smith DM, Dubé K, Gianella S. Lessons for Understanding Central Nervous System HIV Reservoirs from the Last Gift Program. Curr HIV/AIDS Rep 2022; 19:566-579. [PMID: 36260191 PMCID: PMC9580451 DOI: 10.1007/s11904-022-00628-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Deep tissue HIV reservoirs, especially within the central nervous system (CNS), are understudied due to the challenges of sampling brain, spinal cord, and other tissues. Understanding the cellular characteristics and viral dynamics in CNS reservoirs is critical so that HIV cure trials can address them and monitor the direct and indirect effects of interventions. The Last Gift program was developed to address these needs by enrolling altruistic people with HIV (PWH) at the end of life who agree to rapid research autopsy. RECENT FINDINGS Recent findings from the Last Gift emphasize significant heterogeneity across CNS reservoirs, CNS compartmentalization including differential sensitivity to broadly neutralizing antibodies, and bidirectional migration of HIV across the blood-brain barrier. Our findings add support for the potential of CNS reservoirs to be a source of rebounding viruses and reseeding of systemic sites if they are not targeted by cure strategies. This review highlights important scientific, practical, and ethical lessons learned from the Last Gift program in the context of recent advances in understanding the CNS reservoirs and key knowledge gaps in current research.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Guochun Jiang
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Institute of Global Health and Infectious Diseases, UNC HIV Cure Center, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | | | - Yuyang Tang
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Institute of Global Health and Infectious Diseases, UNC HIV Cure Center, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Jeff Taylor
- AntiViral Research Center (AVRC) Community Advisory Board, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA
- HIV + Aging Research Project - Palm Springs (HARP-PS), Palm Springs, CA, USA
| | - Andrew Kaytes
- AntiViral Research Center (AVRC) Community Advisory Board, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA
| | | | - Karine Dubé
- Department of Medicine, UCSD, San Diego, CA, USA
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15
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Tettamanti Boshier FA, Reeves DB, Duke ER, Swan DA, Prlic M, Cardozo-Ojeda EF, Schiffer JT. Substantial uneven proliferation of CD4 + T cells during recovery from acute HIV infection is sufficient to explain the observed expanded clones in the HIV reservoir. J Virus Erad 2022; 8:100091. [PMID: 36582473 PMCID: PMC9792356 DOI: 10.1016/j.jve.2022.100091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2021] [Revised: 09/08/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
The HIV reservoir is a population of 1-10 million anatomically dispersed, latently infected memory CD4+ T cells in which HIV DNA is quiescently integrated into human chromosomal DNA. When antiretroviral therapy (ART) is stopped and HIV replication initiates in one of these cells, systemic viral spread resumes, rekindling progression to AIDS. Therefore, HIV latency prevents cure. The detection of many populations of identical HIV sequences at unique integration sites implicates CD4+ T cell proliferation as the critical driver of reservoir sustainment after a prolonged period of effective ART. Initial reservoir formation occurs during the first week of primary infection usually before ART is started. While empirical data indicates that both de novo infection and cellular proliferation generate latently infected cells during early untreated infection, it is not known which of these mechanisms is predominant. We developed a mathematical model that recapitulates the profound depletion and brisk recovery of CD4+ T cells, reservoir creation, and viral load trajectory during primary HIV infection. We extended the model to stochastically simulate individual HIV reservoir clones. This model predicts the first detection of HIV infected clones approximately 5 weeks after infection as has recently been shown in vivo and suggests that substantial, uneven proliferation among clones during the recovery from CD4+ lymphopenia is the most plausible explanation for the observed clonal reservoir distribution during the first year of infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florencia A. Tettamanti Boshier
- Vaccine and Infectious Diseases Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 1100 Fairview Ave., Seattle, WA, 98122, USA
| | - Daniel B. Reeves
- Vaccine and Infectious Diseases Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 1100 Fairview Ave., Seattle, WA, 98122, USA
| | - Elizabeth R. Duke
- Vaccine and Infectious Diseases Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 1100 Fairview Ave., Seattle, WA, 98122, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington, 1959 NE Pacific St., Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - David A. Swan
- Vaccine and Infectious Diseases Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 1100 Fairview Ave., Seattle, WA, 98122, USA
| | - Martin Prlic
- Vaccine and Infectious Diseases Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 1100 Fairview Ave., Seattle, WA, 98122, USA
- Department of Global Health, University of Washington, 1959 NE Pacific St., Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - E. Fabian Cardozo-Ojeda
- Vaccine and Infectious Diseases Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 1100 Fairview Ave., Seattle, WA, 98122, USA
| | - Joshua T. Schiffer
- Vaccine and Infectious Diseases Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 1100 Fairview Ave., Seattle, WA, 98122, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington, 1959 NE Pacific St., Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Clinical Research Division, University of Washington, 1959 NE Pacific St., Seattle, WA, USA
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16
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Guo S, Luke BT, Henry AR, Darko S, Brandt LD, Su L, Sun D, Wells D, Joseph KW, Demirov D, Halvas EK, Douek DC, Wu X, Mellors JW, Hughes SH. HIV infected CD4+ T cell clones are more stable than uninfected clones during long-term antiretroviral therapy. PLoS Pathog 2022; 18:e1010726. [PMID: 36044447 PMCID: PMC9432747 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1010726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Although combination antiretroviral therapy (ART) blocks HIV replication, it is not curative because infected CD4+ T cells that carry intact, infectious proviruses persist. Understanding the behavior of clones of infected T cells is important for understanding the stability of the reservoir; however, the stabilities of clones of infected T cells in persons on long-term ART are not well defined. We determined the relative stabilities of clones of infected and uninfected CD4+ T cells over time intervals of one to four years in three individuals who had been on ART for 9–19 years. The largest clones of uninfected T cells were larger than the largest clones of infected T cells. Clones of infected CD4+ T cells were more stable than clones of uninfected CD4+ T cells of a similar size. Individual clones of CD4+ T cells carrying intact, infectious proviruses can expand, contract, or remain stable over time. In HIV infected individuals, infected T cells can clonally expand and persist for many years, which is one of the primary reasons current anti-retroviral therapy (ART), which blocks viral replication, does not cure HIV infections. We compared the relative stabilities of clones of infected and uninfected T cells in three donors who had been on successful long-term ART for more than 9 years. The clones of infected T cells were much more stable than similar-sized clones of uninfected T cells. We were initially surprised by this result but, because ART blocks viral replication, we realized that all of the infected clones must be “old” and must have originated before ART was initiated. In contrast, the clones of uninfected cells would have included both old and new clones. In addition, we looked at the behavior of three clones (one in each donor) each of which carries an intact, replication-competent, provirus. The data show that even after more than 9 years, clones that carry replication-competent proviruses can either increase or decrease in size.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuang Guo
- Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Brian T. Luke
- Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Amy R. Henry
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda Maryland, United States of America
| | - Samuel Darko
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda Maryland, United States of America
| | - Leah D. Brandt
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Ling Su
- Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, Maryland, United States of America
| | - David Sun
- Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Daria Wells
- Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Kevin W. Joseph
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Dimiter Demirov
- Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Elias K. Halvas
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Daniel C. Douek
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda Maryland, United States of America
| | - Xiaolin Wu
- Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, Maryland, United States of America
| | - John W. Mellors
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Stephen H. Hughes
- HIV Dynamics and Replication Program, CCR, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, Maryland, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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17
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Baiyegunhi OO, Mann J, Khaba T, Nkosi T, Mbatha A, Ogunshola F, Chasara C, Ismail N, Ngubane T, Jajbhay I, Pansegrouw J, Dong KL, Walker BD, Ndung'u T, Ndhlovu ZM. CD8 lymphocytes mitigate HIV-1 persistence in lymph node follicular helper T cells during hyperacute-treated infection. Nat Commun 2022; 13:4041. [PMID: 35831418 PMCID: PMC9279299 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-31692-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
HIV persistence in tissue sites despite ART is a major barrier to HIV cure. Detailed studies of HIV-infected cells and immune responses in native lymph node tissue environment is critical for gaining insight into immune mechanisms impacting HIV persistence and clearance in tissue sanctuary sites. We compared HIV persistence and HIV-specific T cell responses in lymph node biopsies obtained from 14 individuals who initiated therapy in Fiebig stages I/II, 5 persons treated in Fiebig stages III-V and 17 late treated individuals who initiated ART in Fiebig VI and beyond. Using multicolor immunofluorescence staining and in situ hybridization, we detect HIV RNA and/or protein in 12 of 14 Fiebig I/II treated persons on suppressive therapy for 1 to 55 months, and in late treated persons with persistent antigens. CXCR3+ T follicular helper cells harbor the greatest amounts of gag mRNA transcripts. Notably, HIV-specific CD8+ T cells responses are associated with lower HIV antigen burden, suggesting that these responses may contribute to HIV suppression in lymph nodes during therapy. These results reveal HIV persistence despite the initiation of ART in hyperacute infection and highlight the contribution of virus-specific responses to HIV suppression in tissue sanctuaries during suppressive ART.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omolara O Baiyegunhi
- Africa Health Research Institute (AHRI), Durban, South Africa
- HIV Pathogenesis Programme, The Doris Duke Medical Research Institute, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Jaclyn Mann
- HIV Pathogenesis Programme, The Doris Duke Medical Research Institute, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Trevor Khaba
- HIV Pathogenesis Programme, The Doris Duke Medical Research Institute, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Thandeka Nkosi
- Africa Health Research Institute (AHRI), Durban, South Africa
| | - Anele Mbatha
- HIV Pathogenesis Programme, The Doris Duke Medical Research Institute, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Funsho Ogunshola
- Africa Health Research Institute (AHRI), Durban, South Africa
- Ragon Institute of Massachusetts General Hospital, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | - Nasreen Ismail
- HIV Pathogenesis Programme, The Doris Duke Medical Research Institute, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Thandekile Ngubane
- HIV Pathogenesis Programme, The Doris Duke Medical Research Institute, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | | | | | - Krista L Dong
- Ragon Institute of Massachusetts General Hospital, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Bruce D Walker
- Africa Health Research Institute (AHRI), Durban, South Africa
- HIV Pathogenesis Programme, The Doris Duke Medical Research Institute, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
- Ragon Institute of Massachusetts General Hospital, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Institute for Medical Sciences and Engineering and Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD, USA
- Department of Immunology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Thumbi Ndung'u
- Africa Health Research Institute (AHRI), Durban, South Africa
- HIV Pathogenesis Programme, The Doris Duke Medical Research Institute, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
- Ragon Institute of Massachusetts General Hospital, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, Berlin, Germany
- Division of Infection and Immunity, University College London, London, UK
| | - Zaza M Ndhlovu
- Africa Health Research Institute (AHRI), Durban, South Africa.
- HIV Pathogenesis Programme, The Doris Duke Medical Research Institute, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa.
- Ragon Institute of Massachusetts General Hospital, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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18
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Joseph KW, Halvas EK, Brandt LD, Patro SC, Rausch JW, Chopra A, Mallal S, Kearney MF, Coffin JM, Mellors JW. Deep Sequencing Analysis of Individual HIV-1 Proviruses Reveals Frequent Asymmetric Long Terminal Repeats. J Virol 2022;:e0012222. [PMID: 35674431 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00122-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Effective strategies to eliminate human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) reservoirs are likely to require more thorough characterizations of proviruses that persist on antiretroviral therapy (ART). The rarity of infected CD4+ T-cells and related technical challenges have limited the characterization of integrated proviruses. Current approaches using next-generation sequencing can be inefficient and limited sequencing depth can make it difficult to link proviral sequences to their respective integration sites. Here, we report on an efficient method by which HIV-1 proviruses and their sites of integration are amplified and sequenced. Across five HIV-1-positive individuals on clinically effective ART, a median of 41.2% (n = 88 of 209) of amplifications yielded near-full-length proviruses and their 5'-host-virus junctions containing a median of 430 bp (range, 18 to 1,363 bp) of flanking host sequence. Unexpectedly, 29.5% (n = 26 of 88) of the sequenced proviruses had structural asymmetries between the 5' and 3' long terminal repeats (LTRs), commonly in the form of major 3' deletions. Sequence-intact proviruses were detected in 3 of 5 donors, and infected CD4+ T-cell clones were detected in 4 of 5 donors. The accuracy of the method was validated by amplifying and sequencing full-length proviruses and flanking host sequences directly from peripheral blood mononuclear cell DNA. The individual proviral sequencing assay (IPSA) described here can provide an accurate, in-depth, and longitudinal characterization of HIV-1 proviruses that persist on ART, which is important for targeting proviruses for elimination and assessing the impact of interventions designed to eradicate HIV-1. IMPORTANCE The integration of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) into chromosomal DNA establishes the long-term persistence of HIV-1 as proviruses despite effective antiretroviral therapy (ART). Characterizing proviruses is difficult because of their rarity in individuals on long-term suppressive ART, their highly polymorphic sequences and genetic structures, and the need for efficient amplification and sequencing of the provirus and its integration site. Here, we describe a novel, integrated, two-step method (individual proviral sequencing assay [IPSA]) that amplifies the host-virus junction and the full-length provirus except for the last 69 bp of the 3' long terminal repeat (LTR). Using this method, we identified the integration sites of proviruses, including those that are sequence intact and replication competent or defective. Importantly, this new method identified previously unreported asymmetries between LTRs that have implications for how proviruses are detected and quantified. The IPSA method reported is unaffected by LTR asymmetries, permitting a more accurate and comprehensive characterization of the proviral landscape.
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19
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Astorga-Gamaza A, Grau-Expósito J, Burgos J, Navarro J, Curran A, Planas B, Suanzes P, Falcó V, Genescà M, Buzon M. Identification of HIV-reservoir cells with reduced susceptibility to antibody-dependent immune response. eLife 2022; 11:78294. [PMID: 35616530 PMCID: PMC9177146 DOI: 10.7554/elife.78294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
HIV establishes a persistent infection in heterogeneous cell reservoirs, which can be maintained by different mechanisms including cellular proliferation, and represent the main obstacle to curing the infection. The expression of the Fcγ receptor CD32 has been identified as a marker of the active cell reservoirs in people on antiretroviral therapy, but if its expression has any role in conferring advantage for viral persistence is unknown. Here, we report that HIV-infected cells expressing CD32 have reduced susceptibility to natural killer (NK) antibody-dependent cell cytotoxicity (ADCC) by a mechanism compatible with the suboptimal binding of HIV-specific antibodies. Infected CD32 cells have increased proliferative capacity in the presence of immune complexes, and are more resistant to strategies directed to potentiate NK function. Remarkably, reactivation of the latent reservoir from antiretroviral-treated people living with HIV increases the pool of infected CD32 cells, which are largely resistant to the ADCC immune mechanism. Thus, we report the existence of reservoir cells that evade part of the NK immune response through the expression of CD32.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Joaquín Burgos
- Infectious Disease Department, Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR)
| | - Jordi Navarro
- Infectious Disease Department, Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR)
| | - Adrià Curran
- Infectious Disease Department, Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR)
| | - Bibiana Planas
- Infectious Disease Department, Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR)
| | - Paula Suanzes
- Infectious Disease Department, Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR)
| | - Vicenç Falcó
- Infectious Disease Department, Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR)
| | - Meritxell Genescà
- Infectious Disease Department, Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR)
| | - Maria Buzon
- Infectious Disease Department, Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR)
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20
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Ta TM, Malik S, Anderson EM, Jones AD, Perchik J, Freylikh M, Sardo L, Klase ZA, Izumi T. Insights Into Persistent HIV-1 Infection and Functional Cure: Novel Capabilities and Strategies. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:862270. [PMID: 35572626 PMCID: PMC9093714 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.862270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Although HIV-1 replication can be efficiently suppressed to undetectable levels in peripheral blood by combination antiretroviral therapy (cART), lifelong medication is still required in people living with HIV (PLWH). Life expectancies have been extended by cART, but age-related comorbidities have increased which are associated with heavy physiological and economic burdens on PLWH. The obstacle to a functional HIV cure can be ascribed to the formation of latent reservoir establishment at the time of acute infection that persists during cART. Recent studies suggest that some HIV reservoirs are established in the early acute stages of HIV infection within multiple immune cells that are gradually shaped by various host and viral mechanisms and may undergo clonal expansion. Early cART initiation has been shown to reduce the reservoir size in HIV-infected individuals. Memory CD4+ T cell subsets are regarded as the predominant cellular compartment of the HIV reservoir, but monocytes and derivative macrophages or dendritic cells also play a role in the persistent virus infection. HIV latency is regulated at multiple molecular levels in transcriptional and post-transcriptional processes. Epigenetic regulation of the proviral promoter can profoundly regulate the viral transcription. In addition, transcriptional elongation, RNA splicing, and nuclear export pathways are also involved in maintaining HIV latency. Although most proviruses contain large internal deletions, some defective proviruses may induce immune activation by expressing viral proteins or producing replication-defective viral-like particles. In this review article, we discuss the state of the art on mechanisms of virus persistence in the periphery and tissue and summarize interdisciplinary approaches toward a functional HIV cure, including novel capabilities and strategies to measure and eliminate the infected reservoirs and induce immune control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tram M. Ta
- Department of Biological Sciences, Misher College of Arts and Sciences, University of the Sciences in Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Sajjaf Malik
- Department of Biological Sciences, Misher College of Arts and Sciences, University of the Sciences in Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Elizabeth M. Anderson
- Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health, Region 3, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Amber D. Jones
- Department of Biological Sciences, Misher College of Arts and Sciences, University of the Sciences in Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, United States,Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Jocelyn Perchik
- Department of Biological Sciences, Misher College of Arts and Sciences, University of the Sciences in Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Maryann Freylikh
- Department of Biological Sciences, Misher College of Arts and Sciences, University of the Sciences in Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Luca Sardo
- Department of Infectious Disease and Vaccines, Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, NJ, United States
| | - Zackary A. Klase
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, United States,Center for Neuroimmunology and CNS Therapeutics, Institute of Molecular Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Drexel University of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Taisuke Izumi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Misher College of Arts and Sciences, University of the Sciences in Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, United States,*Correspondence: Taisuke Izumi,
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21
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Varco-Merth BD, Brantley W, Marenco A, Duell DD, Fachko DN, Richardson B, Busman-Sahay K, Shao D, Flores W, Engelman K, Fukazawa Y, Wong SW, Skalsky RL, Smedley J, Axthelm MK, Lifson JD, Estes JD, Edlefsen PT, Picker L, Cameron CM, Henrich TJ, Okoye AA. Rapamycin limits CD4+ T cell proliferation in simian immunodeficiency virus-infected rhesus macaques on antiretroviral therapy. J Clin Invest 2022; 132:156063. [PMID: 35316218 PMCID: PMC9106346 DOI: 10.1172/jci156063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2021] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Proliferation of latently infected CD4+ T cells with replication-competent proviruses is an important mechanism contributing to HIV persistence during antiretroviral therapy (ART). One approach to targeting this latent cell expansion is to inhibit mTOR, a regulatory kinase involved with cell growth, metabolism, and proliferation. Here, we determined the effects of chronic mTOR inhibition with rapamycin with or without T cell activation in SIV-infected rhesus macaques (RMs) on ART. Rapamycin perturbed the expression of multiple genes and signaling pathways important for cellular proliferation and substantially decreased the frequency of proliferating CD4+ memory T cells (TM cells) in blood and tissues. However, levels of cell-associated SIV DNA and SIV RNA were not markedly different between rapamycin-treated RMs and controls during ART. T cell activation with an anti-CD3LALA antibody induced increases in SIV RNA in plasma of RMs on rapamycin, consistent with SIV production. However, upon ART cessation, both rapamycin and CD3LALA–treated and control-treated RMs rebounded in less than 12 days, with no difference in the time to viral rebound or post-ART viral load set points. These results indicate that, while rapamycin can decrease the proliferation of CD4+ TM cells, chronic mTOR inhibition alone or in combination with T cell activation was not sufficient to disrupt the stability of the SIV reservoir.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin D Varco-Merth
- Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, United States of America
| | - William Brantley
- Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, United States of America
| | - Alejandra Marenco
- Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, United States of America
| | - Derick D Duell
- Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, United States of America
| | - Devin N Fachko
- Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, United States of America
| | - Brian Richardson
- Department of Nutrition, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, United States of America
| | - Kathleen Busman-Sahay
- Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, United States of America
| | - Danica Shao
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, United States of America
| | - Walter Flores
- MassBiologics, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Boston, United States of America
| | - Kathleen Engelman
- MassBiologics, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Boston, United States of America
| | - Yoshinori Fukazawa
- Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, United States of America
| | - Scott W Wong
- Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, United States of America
| | - Rebecca L Skalsky
- Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, United States of America
| | - Jeremy Smedley
- Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, United States of America
| | - Michael K Axthelm
- Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, United States of America
| | - Jeffrey D Lifson
- AIDS and Cancer Virus Program, Frederick National Laboratory, Frederick, United States of America
| | - Jacob D Estes
- Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, United States of America
| | - Paul T Edlefsen
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, United States of America
| | - Louis Picker
- Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, United States of America
| | - Cheryl Ma Cameron
- Department of Nutrition, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, United States of America
| | - Timothy J Henrich
- Department of Medicine, UCSF, San Francisco, United States of America
| | - Afam A Okoye
- Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, United States of America
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22
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Okoye AA, Fromentin R, Takata H, Brehm JH, Fukazawa Y, Randall B, Pardons M, Tai V, Tang J, Smedley J, Axthelm M, Lifson JD, Picker LJ, Favre D, Trautmann L, Chomont N. The ingenol-based protein kinase C agonist GSK445A is a potent inducer of HIV and SIV RNA transcription. PLoS Pathog 2022; 18:e1010245. [PMID: 35041707 PMCID: PMC8797195 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1010245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2021] [Revised: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 01/03/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Activation of the NF-κB signaling pathway by Protein Kinase C (PKC) agonists is a potent mechanism for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) latency disruption in vitro. However, significant toxicity risks and the lack of evidence supporting their activity in vivo have limited further evaluation of PKC agonists as HIV latency-reversing agents (LRA) in cure strategies. Here we evaluated whether GSK445A, a stabilized ingenol-B derivative, can induce HIV/simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) transcription and virus production in vitro and demonstrate pharmacological activity in nonhuman primates (NHP). CD4+ T cells from people living with HIV and from SIV+ rhesus macaques (RM) on antiretroviral therapy (ART) exposed in vitro to 25 nM of GSK445A produced cell-associated viral transcripts as well as viral particles at levels similar to those induced by PMA/Ionomycin, indicating that GSK445A can potently reverse HIV/SIV latency. Importantly, these concentrations of GSK445A did not impair the proliferation or survival of HIV-specific CD8+ T cells, but instead, increased their numbers and enhanced IFN-γ production in response to HIV peptides. In vivo, GSK445A tolerability was established in SIV-naïve RM at 15 μg/kg although tolerability was reduced in SIV-infected RM on ART. Increases in plasma viremia following GSK445A administration were suggestive of increased SIV transcription in vivo. Collectively, these results indicate that GSK445A is a potent HIV/SIV LRA in vitro and has a tolerable safety profile amenable for further evaluation in vivo in NHP models of HIV cure/remission. Antiretroviral therapy (ART) is not a definitive cure for HIV infection, in part, because the virus is able to integrate its genetic material in the host cell and remain in a dormant but fully replication-competent form during ART. These latently-infected cells can persist for long periods of time and remain hidden from the host’s immune system. If ART is stopped, the virus can reactivate from this pool of infected cells and resume HIV replication and disease progression. As such, finding and eliminating cells with latent HIV infection is priority for HIV cure research. One approach is to use compounds referred to as latency-reversing agents, that can induce HIV reactivation during ART. The goal of this approach is to facilitate elimination of infected cells by the virus itself once it reactivates or by the host’s immune system, once virus induction renders the cells detectable by the immune system, while also preventing the virus from infecting new cells due to the continued presence of ART. In this study we report on the activity of a novel latency-reversing agent called GSK445A, a potent activator of the enzyme protein kinase C (PKC). We show that GSK445A can induce HIV and simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) latency reversal in vitro and has a tolerable saftey profile in nonhuman primates that should permit further testing of this PKC-agonist in strategies to cure HIV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Afam A Okoye
- Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, Oregon, United States of America.,Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, Oregon, United States of America
| | - Rémi Fromentin
- Centre de Recherche du CHUM, Montréal, Québec, Canada.,Department of Microbiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Québec, Canada
| | - Hiroshi Takata
- Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, Oregon, United States of America
| | - Jessica H Brehm
- ViiV Healthcare, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Yoshinori Fukazawa
- Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, Oregon, United States of America.,Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, Oregon, United States of America
| | - Bryan Randall
- Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, Oregon, United States of America.,Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, Oregon, United States of America
| | - Marion Pardons
- Centre de Recherche du CHUM, Montréal, Québec, Canada.,Department of Microbiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Québec, Canada
| | - Vincent Tai
- ViiV Healthcare, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Jun Tang
- ViiV Healthcare, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Jeremy Smedley
- Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, Oregon, United States of America.,Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, Oregon, United States of America
| | - Michael Axthelm
- Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, Oregon, United States of America.,Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, Oregon, United States of America
| | - Jeffrey D Lifson
- AIDS and Cancer Virus Program, Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Frederick National Laboratory, Frederick, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Louis J Picker
- Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, Oregon, United States of America.,Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, Oregon, United States of America
| | - David Favre
- UNC HIV Cure Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America.,HIV Discovery Performance Unit, GlaxoSmithKline, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Lydie Trautmann
- Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, Oregon, United States of America
| | - Nicolas Chomont
- Centre de Recherche du CHUM, Montréal, Québec, Canada.,Department of Microbiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Québec, Canada
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23
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Dalecki AG, Greer BD, Duverger A, Strange EL, Carlin E, Wagner F, Shi B, Lowman KE, Perez M, Tidwell C, Kaczmarek Michaels K, Giattina S, Bossmann SH, Henderson AJ, Hu H, Kutsch O. Host T cell dedifferentiation effects drive HIV-1 latency stability. J Virol 2022;:jvi0197421. [PMID: 35019721 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01974-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The development of therapies to eliminate the latent HIV-1 reservoir is hampered by our incomplete understanding of the biomolecular mechanism governing HIV-1 latency. To further complicate matters, recent single cell RNA-seq studies reported extensive heterogeneity between latently HIV-1-infected primary T cells, implying that latent HIV-1 infection can persist in greatly differing host cell environments. We here show that transcriptomic heterogeneity is also found between latently infected T cell lines, which allowed us to study the underlying mechanisms of intercell heterogeneity at high signal resolution. Latently infected T cells exhibited a de-differentiated phenotype, characterized by the loss of T cell-specific markers and gene regulation profiles reminiscent of hematopoietic stem cells (HSC). These changes had functional consequences. As reported for stem cells, latently HIV-1 infected T cells efficiently forced lentiviral superinfections into a latent state and favored glycolysis. As a result, metabolic reprogramming or cell re-differentiation destabilized latent infection. Guided by these findings, data-mining of single cell RNA-seq data of latently HIV-1 infected primary T cells from patients revealed the presence of similar dedifferentiation motifs. >20% of the highly detectable genes that were differentially regulated in latently infected cells were associated with hematopoietic lineage development (e.g. HUWE1, IRF4, PRDM1, BATF3, TOX, ID2, IKZF3, CDK6) or were hematopoietic markers (SRGN; hematopoietic proteoglycan core protein). The data add to evidence that the biomolecular phenotype of latently HIV-1 infected cells differs from normal T cells and strategies to address their differential phenotype need to be considered in the design of therapeutic cure interventions. IMPORTANCE HIV-1 persists in a latent reservoir in memory CD4 T cells for the lifetime of a patient. Understanding the biomolecular mechanisms used by the host cells to suppress viral expression will provide essential insights required to develop curative therapeutic interventions. Unfortunately, our current understanding of these control mechanisms is still limited. By studying gene expression profiles, we demonstrated that latently HIV-1-infected T cells have a de-differentiated T cell phenotype. Software-based data integration allowed for the identification of drug targets that would re-differentiate viral host cells and, in extension, destabilize latent HIV-1 infection events. The importance of the presented data lies within the clear demonstration that HIV-1 latency is a host cell phenomenon. As such, therapeutic strategies must first restore proper host cell functionality to accomplish efficient HIV-1 reactivation.
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24
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Murray JM. Dynamics of latent HIV under clonal expansion. PLoS Pathog 2021; 17:e1010165. [PMID: 34929000 PMCID: PMC8722732 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1010165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2021] [Revised: 01/03/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The HIV latent reservoir exhibits slow decay on antiretroviral therapy (ART), impacted by homeostatic proliferation and activation. How these processes contribute to the total dynamic while also producing the observed profile of sampled latent clone sizes is unclear. An agent-based model was developed that tracks individual latent clones, incorporating homeostatic proliferation of cells and activation of clones. The model was calibrated to produce observed latent reservoir dynamics as well as observed clonal size profiles. Simulations were compared to previously published latent HIV integration data from 5 adults and 3 children. The model simulations reproduced reservoir dynamics as well as generating residual plasma viremia levels (pVL) consistent with observations on ART. Over 382 Latin Hypercube Sample simulations, the median latent reservoir grew by only 0.3 log10 over the 10 years prior to ART initiation, after which time it decreased with a half-life of 15 years, despite number of clones decreasing at a faster rate. Activation produced a maximum size of genetically intact clones of around one million cells. The individual simulation that best reproduced the sampled clone profile, produced a reservoir that decayed with a 13.9 year half-life and where pVL, produced mainly from proliferation, decayed with a half-life of 10.8 years. These slow decay rates were achieved with mean cell life-spans of only 14.2 months, due to expansion of the reservoir through proliferation and activation. Although the reservoir decayed on ART, a number of clones increased in size more than 4,000-fold. While small sampled clones may have expanded through proliferation, the large sizes exclusively arose from activation. Simulations where homeostatic proliferation contributed more to pVL than activation, produced pVL that was less variable over time and exhibited fewer viral blips. While homeostatic proliferation adds to the latent reservoir, activation can both add and remove latent cells. Latent activation can produce large clones, where these may have been seeded much earlier than when first sampled. Elimination of the reservoir is complicated by expanding clones whose dynamic differ considerably to that of the entire reservoir. The HIV latent reservoir decreases slowly on antiretroviral therapy (ART). However there are cellular processes operating within this reservoir that can expand or contract subpopulations. This means that what is happening at the macro level may not be reflected at the micro level. To investigate this, we analysed published data on HIV latent clone sizes. By constructing an agent model incorporating the processes of cellular activation and proliferation, we were able to show that activation can expand clone sizes significantly even while on ART. Homeostatic proliferation also plays a role in maintaining the reservoir but these clones, though more frequent, are much smaller in size. Our calculations also show that activation and proliferation of the intact latent reservoir can lead to some of these cells becoming virally productive to a level consistent with observed residual viremia during ART. This analysis explains how normal cellular processes restructure the make-up of the latent reservoir and contribute to residual viremia.
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Affiliation(s)
- John M. Murray
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, UNSW Sydney, Australia
- * E-mail:
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25
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Patro SC, Niyongabo A, Maldarelli F, Kearney MF. New Approaches to Multi-Parametric HIV-1 Genetics Using Multiple Displacement Amplification: Determining the What, How, and Where of the HIV-1 Reservoir. Viruses 2021; 13:2475. [PMID: 34960744 DOI: 10.3390/v13122475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Revised: 12/03/2021] [Accepted: 12/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Development of potential HIV-1 curative interventions requires accurate characterization of the proviral reservoir, defined as host-integrated viral DNA genomes that drive rebound of viremia upon halting ART (antiretroviral therapy). Evaluation of such interventions necessitates methods capable of pinpointing the rare, genetically intact, replication-competent proviruses within a background of defective proviruses. This evaluation can be achieved by identifying the distinct integration sites of intact proviruses within host genomes and monitoring the dynamics of these proviruses and host cell lineages over longitudinal sampling. Until recently, molecular genetic approaches at the single proviral level have been generally limited to one of a few metrics, such as proviral genome sequence/intactness, host-proviral integration site, or replication competency. New approaches, taking advantage of MDA (multiple displacement amplification) for WGA (whole genome amplification), have enabled multiparametric proviral characterization at the single-genome level, including proviral genome sequence, host-proviral integration site, and phenotypic characterization of the host cell lineage, such as CD4 memory subset and antigen specificity. In this review, we will examine the workflow of MDA-augmented molecular genetic approaches to study the HIV-1 reservoir, highlighting technical advantages and flexibility. We focus on a collection of recent studies in which investigators have used these approaches to comprehensively characterize intact and defective proviruses from donors on ART, investigate mechanisms of elite control, and define cell lineage identity and antigen specificity of infected CD4+ T cell clones. The highlighted studies exemplify how these approaches and their future iterations will be key in defining the targets and evaluating the impacts of HIV curative interventions.
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Abstract
Although antiretroviral therapy (ART) can reduce viremia to below the limit of detection and allow persons living with HIV-1 (PLWH) to lead relatively normal lives, viremia rebounds when treatment is interrupted. Rebound reflects viral persistence in a stable latent reservoir in resting CD4+ T cells. This reservoir is now recognized as the major barrier to cure and is the focus of intense international research efforts. Strategies to cure HIV-1 infection include interventions to eliminate this reservoir, to prevent viral rebound from the reservoir, or to enhance immune responses such that viral replication is effectively controlled. Here we consider recent developments in understanding the composition of the reservoir and how it can be measured in clinical studies. We also discuss exciting new insights into the in vivo dynamics of the reservoir and the reasons for its remarkable stability. Finally we discuss recent discoveries on the complex processes that govern viral rebound. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Pathology: Mechanisms of Disease, Volume 17 is January 2022. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janet D Siliciano
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, USA;
| | - Robert F Siliciano
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, USA; .,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, USA
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27
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Abstract
HIV infection is not curable with current antiretroviral therapy (ART) because a small fraction of CD4+ T cells infected prior to ART initiation persists. Understanding the nature of this latent reservoir and how it is created is essential to development of potentially curative strategies. The discovery that a large fraction of the persistently infected cells in individuals on suppressive ART are members of large clones greatly changed our view of the reservoir and how it arises. Rather than being the products of infection of resting cells, as was once thought, HIV persistence is largely or entirely a consequence of infection of cells that are either expanding or are destined to expand, primarily due to antigen-driven activation. Although most of the clones carry defective proviruses, some carry intact infectious proviruses; these clones comprise the majority of the reservoir. A large majority of both the defective and the intact infectious proviruses in clones of infected cells are transcriptionally silent; however, a small fraction expresses a few copies of unspliced HIV RNA. A much smaller fraction is responsible for production of low levels of infectious virus, which can rekindle infection when ART is stopped. Further understanding of the reservoir will be needed to clarify the mechanism(s) by which provirus expression is controlled in the clones of cells that constitute the reservoir.
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Affiliation(s)
- John M. Coffin
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Tufts University, Boston, MA 02111, USA;
| | - Stephen H. Hughes
- HIV Dynamics and Replication Program, National Cancer Institute in Frederick, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
- Correspondence:
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Simonetti FR, Zhang H, Soroosh GP, Duan J, Rhodehouse K, Hill AL, Beg SA, McCormick K, Raymond HE, Nobles CL, Everett JK, Kwon KJ, White JA, Lai J, Margolick JB, Hoh R, Deeks SG, Bushman FD, Siliciano JD, Siliciano RF. Antigen-driven clonal selection shapes the persistence of HIV-1-infected CD4+ T cells in vivo. J Clin Invest 2021; 131:145254. [PMID: 33301425 DOI: 10.1172/jci145254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2020] [Accepted: 12/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Clonal expansion of infected CD4+ T cells is a major mechanism of HIV-1 persistence and a barrier to achieving a cure. Potential causes are homeostatic proliferation, effects of HIV-1 integration, and interaction with antigens. Here, we show that it is possible to link antigen responsiveness, the full proviral sequence, the integration site, and the T cell receptor β-chain (TCRβ) sequence to examine the role of recurrent antigenic exposure in maintaining the HIV-1 reservoir. We isolated CMV- and Gag-responding CD4+ T cells from 10 treated individuals. Proviral populations in CMV-responding cells were dominated by large clones, including clones harboring replication-competent proviruses. TCRβ repertoires showed high clonality driven by converging adaptive responses. Although some proviruses were in genes linked to HIV-1 persistence (BACH2, STAT5B, MKL1), the proliferation of infected cells under antigenic stimulation occurred regardless of the site of integration. Paired TCRβ and integration site analysis showed that infection could occur early or late in the course of a clone's response to antigen and could generate infected cell populations too large to be explained solely by homeostatic proliferation. Together, these findings implicate antigen-driven clonal selection as a major factor in HIV-1 persistence, a finding that will be a difficult challenge to eradication efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco R Simonetti
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Hao Zhang
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Garshasb P Soroosh
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Jiayi Duan
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Kyle Rhodehouse
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Alison L Hill
- Institute for Computational Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Subul A Beg
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Kevin McCormick
- Department of Microbiology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Hayley E Raymond
- Department of Microbiology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Christopher L Nobles
- Department of Microbiology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - John K Everett
- Department of Microbiology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Kyungyoon J Kwon
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Jennifer A White
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Jun Lai
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Joseph B Margolick
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Rebecca Hoh
- Division of HIV, Infectious Diseases, and Global Medicine, UCSF, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Steven G Deeks
- Division of HIV, Infectious Diseases, and Global Medicine, UCSF, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Frederic D Bushman
- Department of Microbiology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Janet D Siliciano
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Robert F Siliciano
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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Astorga-Gamaza A, Buzon MJ. The active human immunodeficiency virus reservoir during antiretroviral therapy: emerging players in viral persistence. Curr Opin HIV AIDS 2021; 16:193-9. [PMID: 33973900 DOI: 10.1097/COH.0000000000000685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW To discuss the role of CD4+ T cells with active Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), meaning infected cells with transcriptional and/or translational viral activity during antiretroviral therapy (ART), focusing on new technologies for its detection, potential cell markers for its characterization, and evidences on the contribution of the active HIV reservoir to long-term viral persistence. RECENT FINDINGS HIV-infected cells expressing viral ribonucleic acid are systematically detected in subjects on long-term ART. In recent years, powerful new tools have provided significant insights into the nature, quantification, and identification of cells with active HIV, including the identification of new cell markers, and the presence of viral activity in specific cell populations located in different cellular and anatomical compartments. Moreover, studies on viral sequence integrity have identified cell clones with intact viral genomes and active viral transcription that could potentially persist for years. Together, new investigations support the notion that the active reservoir could represent a relevant fraction of long-term infected cells, and therefore, the study of its cell sources and mechanisms of maintenance could represent a significant advance in our understanding of viral persistence and the development of new curative strategies. SUMMARY The presence of HIV-infected cells with viral expression during ART has been traditionally overlooked for years. Based on recent investigations, this active viral reservoir could play an important role in HIV persistence.
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Lange C, Maldarelli F. Immune Reconstitution Following Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation in HIV infected Individuals: Years of Living Danger-ously. Clin Infect Dis 2021; 74:1671-1674. [PMID: 34157095 DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciab565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Camille Lange
- Clinical Retrovirology Section, HIV Dynamics and Replication Program, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, Maryland
| | - Frank Maldarelli
- Clinical Retrovirology Section, HIV Dynamics and Replication Program, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, Maryland.,Clinical Retrovirology Section, NCI-Frederick, Frederick, MD
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Boltz VF, Ceriani C, Rausch JW, Shao W, Bale MJ, Keele BF, Hoh R, Milush JM, Deeks SG, Maldarelli F, Kearney MF, Coffin JM. CpG Methylation Profiles of HIV-1 Pro-Viral DNA in Individuals on ART. Viruses 2021; 13:799. [PMID: 33946976 DOI: 10.3390/v13050799] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Revised: 04/20/2021] [Accepted: 04/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The latent HIV-1 reservoir is comprised of stably integrated and intact proviruses with limited to no viral transcription. It has been proposed that latent infection may be maintained by methylation of pro-viral DNA. Here, for the first time, we investigate the cytosine methylation of a replication competent provirus (AMBI-1) found in a T cell clone in a donor on antiretroviral therapy (ART). Methylation profiles of the AMBI-1 provirus were compared to other proviruses in the same donor and in samples from three other individuals on ART, including proviruses isolated from lymph node mononuclear cells (LNMCs) and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). We also evaluated the apparent methylation of cytosines outside of CpG (i.e., CpH) motifs. We found no evidence for methylation in AMBI-1 or any other provirus tested within the 5' LTR promoter. In contrast, CpG methylation was observed in the env-tat-rev overlapping reading frame. In addition, we found evidence for differential provirus methylation in cells isolated from LNMCs vs. PBMCs in some individuals, possibly from the expansion of infected cell clones. Finally, we determined that apparent low-level methylation of CpH cytosines is consistent with occasional bisulfite reaction failures. In conclusion, our data do not support the proposition that latent HIV infection is associated with methylation of the HIV 5' LTR promoter.
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Coffin JM, Bale MJ, Wells D, Guo S, Luke B, Zerbato JM, Sobolewski MD, Sia T, Shao W, Wu X, Maldarelli F, Kearney MF, Mellors JW, Hughes SH. Integration in oncogenes plays only a minor role in determining the in vivo distribution of HIV integration sites before or during suppressive antiretroviral therapy. PLoS Pathog 2021; 17:e1009141. [PMID: 33826675 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1009141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2020] [Revised: 04/19/2021] [Accepted: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
HIV persists during antiretroviral therapy (ART) as integrated proviruses in cells descended from a small fraction of the CD4+ T cells infected prior to the initiation of ART. To better understand what controls HIV persistence and the distribution of integration sites (IS), we compared about 15,000 and 54,000 IS from individuals pre-ART and on ART, respectively, with approximately 395,000 IS from PBMC infected in vitro. The distribution of IS in vivo is quite similar to the distribution in PBMC, but modified by selection against proviruses in expressed genes, by selection for proviruses integrated into one of 7 specific genes, and by clonal expansion. Clones in which a provirus integrated in an oncogene contributed to cell survival comprised only a small fraction of the clones persisting in on ART. Mechanisms that do not involve the provirus, or its location in the host genome, are more important in determining which clones expand and persist. In HIV-infected individuals, a small fraction of the infected cells persist and divide. This reservoir persists during fully suppressive ART and can rekindle the infection if ART is discontinued. Because the number of possible sites of HIV DNA integration is very large, each infected cell, and all of its descendants, can be identified by the site where the provirus is integrated (IS). To understand the selective forces that determine the fates of infected cells in vivo, we compared the distribution of HIV IS in freshly-infected cells to cells from HIV-infected donors sampled both before and during ART. We found that, as previously reported, integration favors highly-expressed genes. However, over time, the fraction of cells with proviruses integrated in highly-expressed genes decreases, implying that they grow less well. There are exceptions to this broad negative selection. When a provirus is integrated in a specific region in one of seven genes, the proviruses affect the expression of the target gene, promoting growth and/or survival of the cell. Although this effect is striking, it is only a minor component of the forces that promote the growth and survival of the population of infected cells during ART.
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Zerbato JM, Khoury G, Zhao W, Gartner MJ, Pascoe RD, Rhodes A, Dantanarayana A, Gooey M, Anderson J, Bacchetti P, Deeks SG, McMahon J, Roche M, Rasmussen TA, Purcell DF, Lewin SR. Multiply spliced HIV RNA is a predictive measure of virus production ex vivo and in vivo following reversal of HIV latency. EBioMedicine 2021; 65:103241. [PMID: 33647768 PMCID: PMC7920823 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2021.103241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2020] [Revised: 01/11/2021] [Accepted: 01/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND One strategy being pursued to clear latently infected cells that persist in people living with HIV (PLWH) on antiretroviral therapy (ART) is to activate latent HIV infection with a latency reversing agent (LRA). Surrogate markers that accurately measure virus production following an LRA are needed. METHODS We quantified cell-associated unspliced (US), multiply spliced (MS) and supernatant (SN) HIV RNA by qPCR from total and resting CD4+ T cells isolated from seven PLWH on ART before and after treatment ex vivo with different LRAs, including histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi). MS and plasma HIV RNA were also quantified from PLWH on ART (n-11) who received the HDACi panobinostat. FINDINGS In total and resting CD4+ T cells from PLWH on ART, detection of US RNA was common while detection of MS RNA was infrequent. Primers used to detect MS RNA, in contrast to US RNA, bound sites of the viral genome that are commonly mutated or deleted in PLWH on ART. Following ex vivo stimulation with LRAs, we identified a strong correlation between the fold change increase in SN and MS RNA, but not the fold change increase in SN and US RNA. In PLWH on ART who received panobinostat, MS RNA was significantly higher in samples with detectable compared to non0detectable plasma HIV RNA. INTERPRETATION Following administration of an LRA, quantification of MS RNA is more likely to reflect an increase in virion production and is therefore a better indicator of meaningful latency reversal. FUNDING NHMRC, NIH DARE collaboratory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer M Zerbato
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The University of Melbourne at The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Georges Khoury
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The University of Melbourne at The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Australia; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Wei Zhao
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The University of Melbourne at The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Matthew J Gartner
- School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Rachel D Pascoe
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The University of Melbourne at The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Ajantha Rhodes
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The University of Melbourne at The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Ashanti Dantanarayana
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The University of Melbourne at The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Megan Gooey
- HIV Characterisation Laboratory, Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory, the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Jenny Anderson
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The University of Melbourne at The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Peter Bacchetti
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Steven G Deeks
- Department of Medicine, Division of HIV/AIDS, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, USA
| | - James McMahon
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Alfred Hospital and Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Michael Roche
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The University of Melbourne at The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Australia; School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Thomas A Rasmussen
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The University of Melbourne at The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Damian Fj Purcell
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The University of Melbourne at The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Australia; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Sharon R Lewin
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The University of Melbourne at The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Australia; Department of Infectious Diseases, Alfred Hospital and Monash University, Melbourne, Australia; Victorian Infectious Diseases Service, Royal Melbourne Hospital at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Australia.
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Pasternak AO, Psomas CK, Berkhout B. Predicting Post-treatment HIV Remission: Does Size of the Viral Reservoir Matter? Front Microbiol 2021; 12:648434. [PMID: 33717047 PMCID: PMC7952863 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.648434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2020] [Accepted: 02/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Combination antiretroviral therapy (ART) suppresses human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) replication and improves immune function. However, due to the persistence of long-lived HIV reservoirs, therapy interruption almost inevitably leads to a fast viral rebound. A small percentage of individuals who are able to control HIV replication for extended periods after therapy interruption are of particular interest because they may represent a model of long-term HIV remission without ART. These individuals are characterized by a limited viral reservoir and low reservoir measures can predict post-treatment HIV remission. However, most individuals with a low reservoir still experience fast viral rebound. In this Perspective, we discuss the possible reasons behind this and propose to develop an integral profile, composed of viral and host biomarkers, that could allow the accurate prediction of post-treatment HIV remission. We also propose to incorporate information on the chromatin context of the proviral integration sites into the characterization of the HIV reservoir, as this likely influences the reactivation capacity of latent proviruses and, together with the actual number of intact proviruses, contributes to the replication competence of the reservoir.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander O Pasternak
- Laboratory of Experimental Virology, Department of Medical Microbiology, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Christina K Psomas
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Internal Medicine, European Hospital, Marseille, France
| | - Ben Berkhout
- Laboratory of Experimental Virology, Department of Medical Microbiology, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
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Ziani W, Shao J, Wang X, Russell-Lodrigue K, Liu YZ, Montaner LJ, Veazey RS, Xu H. Increased Proviral DNA in Circulating Cells Correlates with Plasma Viral Rebound in Simian Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected Rhesus Macaques after Antiretroviral Therapy Interruption. J Virol 2021; 95:e02064-20. [PMID: 33408173 DOI: 10.1128/JVI.02064-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2020] [Accepted: 12/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Viral reservoirs are involved in persistent HIV infection, and a small number of mosaic latent cellular reservoirs promote viral rebound upon analytical treatment interruption, which is the major obstacle to a cure. However, early indicators that can predict resurgence of viremia after treatment interruption may aid treatment decisions in people living with HIV. The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) reservoir is responsible for persistent viral infection, and a small number of mosaic latent cellular reservoirs promote viral rebound upon antiretroviral therapy interruption, which is the major obstacle to a cure. However, markers that determine effective therapy and viral rebound posttreatment interruption remain unclear. In this study, we comprehensively and longitudinally tracked dynamic decay of cell-associated viral RNA/DNA in systemic and lymphoid tissues in simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV)-infected rhesus macaques on prolonged combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) and evaluated predictors of viral rebound after treatment cessation. The results showed that suppressive ART substantially reduced plasma SIV RNA, cell-associated unspliced, and multiply spliced SIV RNA to undetectable levels, yet viral DNA remained detectable in systemic tissues and lymphoid compartments throughout cART. Intriguingly, a rapid increase of integrated proviral DNA in peripheral mononuclear cells was detected once treatment was withdrawn, accompanied by the emergence of detectable plasma viral load. Notably, the increase of peripheral proviral DNA after treatment interruption correlated with the emergence and degree of viral rebound. These findings suggest that measuring total viral DNA in SIV infection may be a relatively simple surrogate marker of reservoir size and may predict viral rebound after treatment interruption and inform treatment strategies. IMPORTANCE Viral reservoirs are involved in persistent HIV infection, and a small number of mosaic latent cellular reservoirs promote viral rebound upon analytical treatment interruption, which is the major obstacle to a cure. However, early indicators that can predict resurgence of viremia after treatment interruption may aid treatment decisions in people living with HIV. Utilizing the rhesus macaque model, we demonstrated that increased proviral DNA in peripheral cells after treatment interruption, rather than levels of proviral DNA, was a useful marker to predict the emergence and degree of viral rebound after treatment interruption, providing a rapid approach for monitoring HIV rebound and informing decisions.
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Halvas EK, Joseph KW, Brandt LD, Guo S, Sobolewski MD, Jacobs JL, Tumiotto C, Bui JK, Cyktor JC, Keele BF, Morse GD, Bale MJ, Shao W, Kearney MF, Coffin JM, Rausch JW, Wu X, Hughes SH, Mellors JW. HIV-1 viremia not suppressible by antiretroviral therapy can originate from large T cell clones producing infectious virus. J Clin Invest 2021; 130:5847-5857. [PMID: 33016926 DOI: 10.1172/jci138099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2020] [Accepted: 07/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUNDHIV-1 viremia that is not suppressed by combination antiretroviral therapy (ART) is generally attributed to incomplete medication adherence and/or drug resistance. We evaluated individuals referred by clinicians for nonsuppressible viremia (plasma HIV-1 RNA above 40 copies/mL) despite reported adherence to ART and the absence of drug resistance to the current ART regimen.METHODSSamples were collected from at least 2 time points from 8 donors who had nonsuppressible viremia for more than 6 months. Single templates of HIV-1 RNA obtained from plasma and viral outgrowth of cultured cells and from proviral DNA were amplified by PCR and sequenced for evidence of clones of cells that produced infectious viruses. Clones were confirmed by host-proviral integration site analysis.RESULTSHIV-1 genomic RNA with identical sequences were identified in plasma samples from all 8 donors. The identical viral RNA sequences did not change over time and did not evolve resistance to the ART regimen. In 4 of the donors, viral RNA sequences obtained from plasma matched those sequences from viral outgrowth cultures, indicating that the viruses were replication competent. Integration sites for infectious proviruses from those 4 donors were mapped to the introns of the MATR3, ZNF268, ZNF721/ABCA11P, and ABCA11P genes. The sizes of the clones were estimated to be from 50 million to 350 million cells.CONCLUSIONThese findings show that clones of HIV-1-infected cells producing virus can cause failure of ART to suppress viremia. The mechanisms involved in clonal expansion and persistence need to be defined to effectively target viremia and the HIV-1 reservoir.FUNDINGNational Cancer Institute, NIH; Howard Hughes Medical Research Fellows Program, Howard Hughes Medical Institute; Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation; Office of AIDS Research; American Cancer Society; National Cancer Institute through a Leidos subcontract; National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH, to the I4C Martin Delaney Collaboratory; University of Rochester Center for AIDS Research and University of Rochester HIV/AIDS Clinical Trials Unit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elias K Halvas
- Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Kevin W Joseph
- Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Leah D Brandt
- Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Shuang Guo
- Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | | | - Jana L Jacobs
- Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Camille Tumiotto
- Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - John K Bui
- New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, Weill Department of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Joshua C Cyktor
- Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Brandon F Keele
- AIDS and Cancer Virus Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Gene D Morse
- NYS Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Life Sciences, Translational Pharmacology Research Core, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA
| | - Michael J Bale
- HIV Dynamics and Replication Program, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Wei Shao
- Advanced Biomedical Computing Science, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research (FNLCR), Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Mary F Kearney
- HIV Dynamics and Replication Program, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - John M Coffin
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Tufts University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jason W Rausch
- Basic Research Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Xiaolin Wu
- Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Stephen H Hughes
- HIV Dynamics and Replication Program, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - John W Mellors
- Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
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Abstract
Antiretroviral therapy (ART) inhibits HIV replication but is not curative. During ART, the integrated HIV genome persists indefinitely within CD4+ T cells and perhaps other cells. Here, we describe the mechanisms thought to contribute to its persistence during treatment and highlight findings from numerous recent studies describing the importance of cell proliferation in that process. Continued progress elucidating the biology will enhance our ability to develop effective curative interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lillian B Cohn
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, CA; Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA
| | - Nicolas Chomont
- Centre de recherche du CHUM and Department of Microbiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Steven G Deeks
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA.
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38
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Abstract
Currently, the incidence of HIV infection exceeds the death rate from HIV, and as a result, the prevalence of individuals living with the infection continues to increase. A critical limitation preventing the development of curative strategies is the lack of knowledge regarding mechanisms that allow HIV-infected cells to persist in individuals during combination antiviral therapy (ART). In this issue of the JCI, Chaillon and coworkers assessed HIV-infected cells from various anatomic compartments obtained through a rapid autopsy program of individuals undergoing long-term ART. This study, made possible with strong community collaboration, provides new insights on the potential locations of reservoirs of HIV-infected cells that persist during therapy.
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39
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Yoon JK, Holloway JR, Wells DW, Kaku M, Jetton D, Brown R, Coffin JM. HIV proviral DNA integration can drive T cell growth ex vivo. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:32880-2. [PMID: 33318172 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2013194117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
In vivo clonal expansion of HIV-infected T cells is an important mechanism of viral persistence. In some cases, clonal expansion is driven by HIV proviral DNA integrated into one of a handful of genes. To investigate this phenomenon in vitro, we infected primary CD4+ T cells with an HIV construct expressing GFP and, after nearly 2 mo of culture and multiple rounds of activation, analyzed the resulting integration site distribution. In each of three replicates from each of two donors, we detected large clusters of integration sites with multiple breakpoints, implying clonal selection. These clusters all mapped to a narrow region within the STAT3 gene. The presence of hybrid transcripts splicing HIV to STAT3 sequences supports a model of LTR-driven STAT3 overexpression as a driver of preferential growth. Thus, HIV integration patterns linked to selective T cell outgrowth can be reproduced in cell culture. The single report of an HIV provirus in a case of AIDS-associated B-cell lymphoma with an HIV provirus in the same part of STAT3 also has implications for HIV-induced malignancy.
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40
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Abstract
To counter HIV latency, it is important to develop a better understanding of the full range of host factors promoting latency. Their identification could suggest new strategies to reactivate latent proviruses and subsequently kill the host cells (“shock and kill”), or to permanently silence these latent proviruses (“block and lock”). We recently developed a screening strategy termed “Reiterative Enrichment and Authentication of CRISPRi Targets” (REACT) that can unambiguously identify host genes promoting HIV latency, even in the presence of high background “noise” produced by the stochastic nature of HIV reactivation. After applying this strategy in four cell lines displaying different levels of HIV inducibility, we identified FTSJ3, TMEM178A, NICN1 and the Integrator Complex as host genes promoting HIV latency. shRNA knockdown of these four repressive factors significantly enhances HIV expression in primary CD4 T cells, and active HIV infection is preferentially found in cells expressing lower levels of these four factors. Mechanistically, we found that downregulation of these newly identified host inhibitors stimulates different stages of RNA Polymerase II-mediated transcription of HIV-1. The identification and validation of these new host inhibitors provide insight into the novel mechanisms that maintain HIV latency even when cells are activated and undergo cell division. The presence of a pool of latent HIV proviruses currently thwarts a cure for HIV-infected individuals. This “latent reservoir” is primarily composed of CD4 T cells that are infected with HIV but are indistinguishable from an uninfected T cell due to a lack of viral gene expression even when the cells are activated and undergo proliferation. This finding suggests there are powerful cellular mechanisms that hold HIV transcription in check even in stimulated cells allowing latent proviruses to remain hidden. Our goal was to identify and characterize these “unknown cellular factors”. We conducted genome-wide CRISPRi screens in multiple latently infected cell lines where each cell line displayed a different depth of latency as assessed by responsiveness to latency reversing agents. Application of our recently developed iterative screening strategy (REACT) allowed us to unambiguously identify and confirm four host factors that promote HIV latency. The latency promoting activity of these four factors (FTSJ3, TMEM178A, NICN1 and the Integrator Complex) were further validated in primary CD4 T cells, where their knockdown by shRNA significantly enhances latent HIV reactivation. In addition, we found that HIV infection preferentially occurs in cells expressing lower levels of these four factors. Mechanistically, our findings suggest that the newly identified host inhibitors likely block HIV transcription through different mechanisms. The identification and validation of these host inhibitors provides important new insights into how latency is maintained in T cells that could be useful for either activating and eliminating latently infected cells (“shock and kill”), or permanently silencing the integrated latent proviruses (“block and lock”).
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Affiliation(s)
- Zichong Li
- Gladstone Center for HIV Cure Research, Gladstone Institute of Virology, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Cyrus Hajian
- Gladstone Center for HIV Cure Research, Gladstone Institute of Virology, San Francisco, California, United States of America
- Santa Rosa Junior College, Santa Rosa, California, United States of America
| | - Warner C. Greene
- Gladstone Center for HIV Cure Research, Gladstone Institute of Virology, San Francisco, California, United States of America
- Departments of Medicine and Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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41
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Woldemeskel BA, Kwaa AK, Blankson JN. Viral reservoirs in elite controllers of HIV-1 infection: Implications for HIV cure strategies. EBioMedicine 2020; 62:103118. [PMID: 33181459 PMCID: PMC7658501 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2020.103118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2020] [Revised: 10/16/2020] [Accepted: 10/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Elite controllers are HIV-1 positive subjects who control viral replication without antiretroviral therapy. Many of these subjects have replication-competent virus and thus represent a model of a functional cure. Peripheral CD4+ T cells in these subjects have small reservoirs with a low frequency of intact proviruses. Furthermore, recent studies suggest that many of these intact proviruses are disproportionally integrated at sites that have limited transcriptional activity raising the possibility that replication-competent viruses do not replicate because they are in a “blocked and locked” state. However, this feature is probably a consequence rather than a cause of elite control. Additionally, evolution of plasma virus has been detected in many elites suggesting that there continues to be ongoing viral replication in other compartments. While exceptional elite controllers with very limited viral reservoirs have recently been described, more work is needed to determine whether these patients have achieved a sterilizing cure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bezawit A Woldemeskel
- Center for AIDS Research, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins Medicine, 855 N. Wolfe Street. Baltimore, MD 21205, United States
| | - Abena K Kwaa
- Center for AIDS Research, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins Medicine, 855 N. Wolfe Street. Baltimore, MD 21205, United States
| | - Joel N Blankson
- Center for AIDS Research, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins Medicine, 855 N. Wolfe Street. Baltimore, MD 21205, United States.
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42
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Gantner P, Pagliuzza A, Pardons M, Ramgopal M, Routy JP, Fromentin R, Chomont N. Single-cell TCR sequencing reveals phenotypically diverse clonally expanded cells harboring inducible HIV proviruses during ART. Nat Commun 2020; 11:4089. [PMID: 32796830 PMCID: PMC7427996 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-17898-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2020] [Accepted: 07/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Clonal expansions occur in the persistent HIV reservoir as shown by the duplication of proviral integration sites. However, the source of the proliferation of HIV-infected cells remains unclear. Here, we analyze the TCR repertoire of single HIV-infected cells harboring translation-competent proviruses in longitudinal samples from eight individuals on antiretroviral therapy (ART). When compared to uninfected cells, the TCR repertoire of reservoir cells is heavily biased: expanded clonotypes are present in all individuals, account for the majority of reservoir cells and are often maintained over time on ART. Infected T cell clones are detected at low frequencies in the long-lived central memory compartment and overrepresented in the most differentiated memory subsets. Our results indicate that clonal expansions highly contribute to the persistence of the HIV reservoir and suggest that reservoir cells displaying a differentiated phenotype are the progeny of infected central memory cells undergoing antigen-driven clonal expansion during ART. The cause of clonal expansions in the HIV reservoir remains unclear. Here, Gantner et al. perform single-cell TCR sequencing on longitudinal samples from eight individuals on antiretroviral therapy and find that antigens inducing clonal expansions of memory cells are major contributors to the HIV reservoir.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierre Gantner
- Department of Microbiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Amélie Pagliuzza
- Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Marion Pardons
- Department of Microbiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Moti Ramgopal
- Midway Immunology & Research Center, Fort Pierce, FL, USA
| | - Jean-Pierre Routy
- Division of Hematology & Chronic Viral Illness Service, McGill University Heath Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Rémi Fromentin
- Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Nicolas Chomont
- Department of Microbiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada. .,Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada.
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43
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Anderson EM, Simonetti FR, Gorelick RJ, Hill S, Gouzoulis MA, Bell J, Rehm C, Pérez L, Boritz E, Wu X, Wells D, Hughes SH, Rao V, Coffin JM, Kearney MF, Maldarelli F. Dynamic Shifts in the HIV Proviral Landscape During Long Term Combination Antiretroviral Therapy: Implications for Persistence and Control of HIV Infections. Viruses 2020; 12:v12020136. [PMID: 31991737 PMCID: PMC7077288 DOI: 10.3390/v12020136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2019] [Revised: 01/13/2020] [Accepted: 01/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) controls but does not eradicate HIV infection; HIV persistence is the principal obstacle to curing infections. The proportion of defective proviruses increases during cART, but the dynamics of this process are not well understood, and a quantitative analysis of how the proviral landscape is reshaped after cART is initiated is critical to understanding how HIV persists. Here, we studied longitudinal samples from HIV infected individuals undergoing long term cART using multiplexed Droplet Digital PCR (ddPCR) approaches to quantify the proportion of deleted proviruses in lymphocytes. In most individuals undergoing cART, HIV proviruses that contain gag are lost more quickly than those that lack gag. Increases in the fraction of gag-deleted proviruses occurred only after 1–2 years of therapy, suggesting that the immune system, and/or toxicity of viral re-activation helps to gradually shape the proviral landscape. After 10–15 years on therapy, there were as many as 3.5–5 times more proviruses in which gag was deleted or highly defective than those containing intact gag. We developed a provirus-specific ddPCR approach to quantify individual clones. Investigation of a clone of cells containing a deleted HIV provirus integrated in the HORMAD2 gene revealed that the cells underwent a massive expansion shortly after cART was initiated until the clone, which was primarily in effector memory cells, dominated the population of proviruses for over 6 years. The expansion of this HIV-infected clone had substantial effects on the overall proviral population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth M. Anderson
- HIV Dynamics and Replication Program, NCI, NIH, Frederick, MD 21702, USA; (E.M.A.); (F.R.S.); (S.H.); (M.A.G.); (S.H.H.); (M.F.K.)
- Department of Biology, The Catholic University of America, Washington, DC 20064, USA;
| | - Francesco R. Simonetti
- HIV Dynamics and Replication Program, NCI, NIH, Frederick, MD 21702, USA; (E.M.A.); (F.R.S.); (S.H.); (M.A.G.); (S.H.H.); (M.F.K.)
| | - Robert J. Gorelick
- Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD 21702, USA; (R.J.G.); (J.B.)
| | - Shawn Hill
- HIV Dynamics and Replication Program, NCI, NIH, Frederick, MD 21702, USA; (E.M.A.); (F.R.S.); (S.H.); (M.A.G.); (S.H.H.); (M.F.K.)
| | - Monica A. Gouzoulis
- HIV Dynamics and Replication Program, NCI, NIH, Frederick, MD 21702, USA; (E.M.A.); (F.R.S.); (S.H.); (M.A.G.); (S.H.H.); (M.F.K.)
| | - Jennifer Bell
- Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD 21702, USA; (R.J.G.); (J.B.)
| | - Catherine Rehm
- Laboratory of Immunoregulation, NIAID, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA;
| | - Liliana Pérez
- Virus Persistence and Dynamics Section, VRC, NIAID, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA; (L.P.); (E.B.)
| | - Eli Boritz
- Virus Persistence and Dynamics Section, VRC, NIAID, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA; (L.P.); (E.B.)
| | - Xiaolin Wu
- Cancer Research Technology Program, Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD 21702, USA; (X.W.); (D.W.)
| | - Daria Wells
- Cancer Research Technology Program, Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD 21702, USA; (X.W.); (D.W.)
| | - Stephen H. Hughes
- HIV Dynamics and Replication Program, NCI, NIH, Frederick, MD 21702, USA; (E.M.A.); (F.R.S.); (S.H.); (M.A.G.); (S.H.H.); (M.F.K.)
| | - Venigalla Rao
- Department of Biology, The Catholic University of America, Washington, DC 20064, USA;
| | - John M. Coffin
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, Boston, MA 02155, USA;
| | - Mary F. Kearney
- HIV Dynamics and Replication Program, NCI, NIH, Frederick, MD 21702, USA; (E.M.A.); (F.R.S.); (S.H.); (M.A.G.); (S.H.H.); (M.F.K.)
| | - Frank Maldarelli
- HIV Dynamics and Replication Program, NCI, NIH, Frederick, MD 21702, USA; (E.M.A.); (F.R.S.); (S.H.); (M.A.G.); (S.H.H.); (M.F.K.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +01-301-846-5611
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