Project description:Distinct integration patterns of different retroviruses have puzzled virologists for over 20 years. The viral integrase (IN), as part of the intasome complex, docks onto the target DNA (tDNA) and catalyzes the insertion of the viral genome into the host chromatin. We identified retroviral IN amino acids directly contacting tDNA bases and affecting the local integration site sequence biases. These residues also determine the propensity of the virus to integrate into flexible tDNA sequences. Remarkably, natural polymorphisms INS119G and INR231G retarget viral integration away from gene dense regions, without affecting the interaction with the lentiviral tethering cofactor LEDGF/p75 (PSIP1). Precisely these variants were associated with rapid disease progression in a chronic HIV-1 subtype C infection cohort. These findings link integration site selection to virulence and viral evolution but also to the host immune response and antiretroviral therapy, since HIV-1 IN119 is under selection by HLA alleles and integrase inhibitors. LEDGF/p75 (PSIP1) ChIP-Seq using A300-848 antibody (recognizes p75 isoform) and input control in primary CD4+ T-cells
Project description:Distinct integration patterns of different retroviruses have puzzled virologists for over 20 years. The viral integrase (IN), as part of the intasome complex, docks onto the target DNA (tDNA) and catalyzes the insertion of the viral genome into the host chromatin. We identified retroviral IN amino acids directly contacting tDNA bases and affecting the local integration site sequence biases. These residues also determine the propensity of the virus to integrate into flexible tDNA sequences. Remarkably, natural polymorphisms INS119G and INR231G retarget viral integration away from gene dense regions, without affecting the interaction with the lentiviral tethering cofactor LEDGF/p75 (PSIP1). Precisely these variants were associated with rapid disease progression in a chronic HIV-1 subtype C infection cohort. These findings link integration site selection to virulence and viral evolution but also to the host immune response and antiretroviral therapy, since HIV-1 IN119 is under selection by HLA alleles and integrase inhibitors.
Project description:Retroviral integration is mediated by a unique enzymatic process shared by all retroviruses and retrotransposons. During integration, double-stranded linear viral DNA is inserted into the host genome in a process catalyzed by viral-encoded integrase. However, host cell defenses against HIV-1 integration are not clear. This study identifies -catenin-like protein 1 (CTNNBL1) as a potent inhibitor of HIV-1 integration via association with viral IN and its cofactor, lens epithelium-derived growth factor/p75. CTNNBL1 overexpression blocks HIV-1 integration and inhibits viral replication, whereas CTNNBL1 depletion significantly upregulates HIV-1 integration into the genome of various target cells. Further, CTNNBL1 expression is downregulated in CD4+ T cells by activation, and CTNNBL1 depletion also facilitates HIV-1 integration in resting CD4+ T cells. Thus, host cells may employ CTNNBL1 to inhibit HIV-1 integration into the genome. This finding suggests a strategy for the treatment of HIV infections.
Project description:We examined the gene expression profiles in ex vivo human CD4+ and CD8+ T cells from untreated HIV-infected individuals at different clinical stages and rates of disease progression. Profiles of pure CD4+ and CD8+ T cells subsets from HIV-infected nonprogressors who controlled viremia were indistinguishable from HIV-uninfected individuals. Similarly, no gene clusters could distinguish T cells from individuals with early from chronic progressive HIV infection, whereas differences were observed between uninfected or nonprogressors versus early or chronic progressors. In early/chronic HIV infection, three characteristic gene expression signatures were observed: (1) CD4+ and CD8+ T cells showed increased expression of interferon stimulated genes (ISGs). However, some ISGs including CXCL9, CXCL10, and CXCL11, and the IL15R? in both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells and the anti-HIV ISG APOBEC3G in CD4+ T cells, were not upregulated. (2) CD4+ and CD8+ T cells showed a cluster similar to that observed in thymocytes, and (3) more genes were differentially regulated in CD8+ T cells than in CD4+ T cells, including a cluster of genes downregulated exclusively in CD8+ T cells. In conclusion, HIV infection induces a persistent T cell transcriptional profile, early in infection, characterized by a dramatic but potentially aberrant interferon response, and a profile suggesting an active thymic output. We studied a cohort of HIV infected individuals with various clinical stages of HIV infection and healthy uninfected volunteers as a control group (Table 1). We included 5 individuals with early HIV infection (A), five with chronic progressive HIV infection (C), five individuals with non-progressive HIV infection with low or undetectable viral loads (L) and five HIV uninfected individuals (N). The HIV infected individuals were never on therapy prior to entering the study. Samples were taken once from each donor.
Project description:Chronic viral infections caused by HIV in humans or LCMV in mice are characterized by immunodeficiency and chronic inflammation. During chronification, T cells progressively lose effector functions, a process associated with immunoregulatory pathways and known as T-cell exhaustion. A link between ‘exhaustive’ T-cell reprogramming and chronic inflammation has not been established. Using a systems biology approach we demonstrate in HIV and LCMV infection that TNF, a prototypical mediator of chronic inflammation, functions upstream of major immunoregulatory pathways in T cells during chronic viral infection. In vivo blockade of TNFR-signaling interferes with the exhaustive T-cell program during chronic infection and reduces viral loads by several log. Continuous TNFR-signaling during disease progression towards chronic infection seems to be causative for T-cell exhaustion and an important link between immunodeficiency and chronic inflammation. TNF blockade might represent a novel therapeutic option during late stage infections caused by HIV and other virus causing chronic infections.
Project description:Chronic viral infections caused by HIV in humans or LCMV in mice are characterized by immunodeficiency and chronic inflammation. During chronification, T cells progressively lose effector functions, a process associated with immunoregulatory pathways and known as T-cell exhaustion. A link between ‘exhaustive’ T-cell reprogramming and chronic inflammation has not been established. Using a systems biology approach we demonstrate in HIV and LCMV infection that TNF, a prototypical mediator of chronic inflammation, functions upstream of major immunoregulatory pathways in T cells during chronic viral infection. In vivo blockade of TNFR-signaling interferes with the exhaustive T-cell program during chronic infection and reduces viral loads by several log. Continuous TNFR-signaling during disease progression towards chronic infection seems to be causative for T-cell exhaustion and an important link between immunodeficiency and chronic inflammation. TNF blockade might represent a novel therapeutic option during late stage infections caused by HIV and other virus causing chronic infections.
Project description:A significant percentage of HIV-infected individuals experience a sharp decline in CD4+ T cell counts and progress to AIDS quickly after primary infection. Identification of biomarkers distinguishing rapid progressors (RPs) versus chronic progressors (CPs) is critical for early clinical intervention and could provide novel strategies to facilitate vaccine design and immune therapy. mRNA and miRNA expression profiles in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of RPs and CPs were investigated at 111±22 days (Mean±SD) of HIV infection. The association of mRNA and miRNA expression with disease progression was examined by receiver operating characteristic analysis and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. Pathway enrichment analysis showed that genes with deregulated expression in RPs are primarily involved in apoptosis pathways. Furthermore, we found that 5 miRNAs (miR-31, -200c, -526a, -99a and -503) in RPs were significantly decreased compared to those in CPs (P<0.05). The decreased expression of these miRNAs was associated with rapid disease progression of HIV infection with a 94% predictive value as measured by the area under the curve. The upregulated predicted targets from the 5 signature miRNAs and all upregulated genes identified from mRNA microarray converged to the apoptosis pathway. Moreover, overexpression of miR-31 in primary human T cells promoted their survival. Our results have identified a distinct transcriptomic signature in PBMCs of RPs and provided novel insights to the pathogenesis of HIV infection. A cohort of primary HIV infected individuals with different disease outcome were enrolled in this study. We included 6 individuals with rapid disease progression (RP), seven with chronic disease progression (CP). The HIV infected individuals were never on therapy before the time of sample taken.
Project description:Chronic viral infections caused by HIV in humans or LCMV in mice are characterized by immunodeficiency and chronic inflammation. During chronification, T cells progressively lose effector functions, a process associated with immunoregulatory pathways and known as T-cell exhaustion. A link between ‘exhaustive’ T-cell reprogramming and chronic inflammation has not been established. Using a systems biology approach we demonstrate in HIV and LCMV infection that TNF, a prototypical mediator of chronic inflammation, functions upstream of major immunoregulatory pathways in T cells during chronic viral infection. In vivo blockade of TNFR-signaling interferes with the exhaustive T-cell program during chronic infection and reduces viral loads by several log. Continuous TNFR-signaling during disease progression towards chronic infection seems to be causative for T-cell exhaustion and an important link between immunodeficiency and chronic inflammation. TNF blockade might represent a novel therapeutic option during late stage infections caused by HIV and other virus causing chronic infections. CD4+ T cells from Infliximab or control treatment of chronic LCMV infected animals
Project description:Chronic viral infections caused by HIV in humans or LCMV in mice are characterized by immunodeficiency and chronic inflammation. During chronification, T cells progressively lose effector functions, a process associated with immunoregulatory pathways and known as T-cell exhaustion. A link between ‘exhaustive’ T-cell reprogramming and chronic inflammation has not been established. Using a systems biology approach we demonstrate in HIV and LCMV infection that TNF, a prototypical mediator of chronic inflammation, functions upstream of major immunoregulatory pathways in T cells during chronic viral infection. In vivo blockade of TNFR-signaling interferes with the exhaustive T-cell program during chronic infection and reduces viral loads by several log. Continuous TNFR-signaling during disease progression towards chronic infection seems to be causative for T-cell exhaustion and an important link between immunodeficiency and chronic inflammation. TNF blockade might represent a novel therapeutic option during late stage infections caused by HIV and other virus causing chronic infections. CD4+ T cells from Infliximab or control treatment of acute LCMV infected animals
Project description:Chronic viral infections caused by HIV in humans or LCMV in mice are characterized by immunodeficiency and chronic inflammation. During chronification, T cells progressively lose effector functions, a process associated with immunoregulatory pathways and known as T-cell exhaustion. A link between ‘exhaustive’ T-cell reprogramming and chronic inflammation has not been established. Using a systems biology approach we demonstrate in HIV and LCMV infection that TNF, a prototypical mediator of chronic inflammation, functions upstream of major immunoregulatory pathways in T cells during chronic viral infection. In vivo blockade of TNFR-signaling interferes with the exhaustive T-cell program during chronic infection and reduces viral loads by several log. Continuous TNFR-signaling during disease progression towards chronic infection seems to be causative for T-cell exhaustion and an important link between immunodeficiency and chronic inflammation. TNF blockade might represent a novel therapeutic option during late stage infections caused by HIV and other virus causing chronic infections. TNF stimulation of CD4+ T cells to generate a CD4+ T-cell specific RNA-fingerprint