技术资料

BACKGROUND: The unfolded protein response (UPR) is one of the pathways triggered to ensure quality control of the proteins assembled in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) when cell homeostasis is compromised. This mechanism is primarily composed of three transmembrane proteins serving as stress sensors: PKR-like ER kinase (PERK),activating transcription factor 6 (ATF6),and inositol-requiring enzyme 1 (IRE1). These three proteins' synergic action elicits translation and transcriptional downstream pathways,leading to less protein production and activating genes that encode important proteins in folding processes,including chaperones. Previous reports showed that viruses have evolved mechanisms to curtail or customize this UPR signaling for their own benefit. However,HIV infection's effect on the UPR has scarcely been investigated. METHODS: This work investigated UPR modulation by HIV infection by assessing UPR-related protein expression under in vitro and in vivo conditions via Western blotting. Antiretroviral (ARV) drugs' influence on this stress response was also considered. RESULTS: In in vitro and in vivo analyses,our results confirm that HIV infection activates stress-response components and that ARV therapy contributes to changes in the UPR's activation profile. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first report showing UPR-related protein expression in HIV target cells derived directly from HIV-infected patients receiving different ARV therapies. Thus,two mechanisms may occur simultaneously: interference by HIV itself and the ARV drugs' pharmacological effects as UPR activators. New evidence of how HIV modulates the UPR to enhance its own replication and secure infection success is also presented. View Publication

B lymphocyte stimulator (BLyS) is a well-known direct costimulator of adaptive immune cells,particularly B lineage cells. However,we have reported recently that BLyS is also able to activate monocytes. Other innate immune cells,such as dendritic cells (DCs),play a key role in the initiation of adaptive immune responses and the purpose of the current study was to assess whether there is a direct role for BLyS in modulating human DC functions. In this study,we show that BLyS induces DC activation and maturation. Thus,BLyS strongly induced up-regulation of surface costimulatory molecule expression and secretion of specific cytokines and chemokines in DCs. BLyS-stimulated DCs (BLyS-DCs) were also able to augment allogeneic CD4 T cell proliferation to a greater extent than control DCs. BLyS-DCs secreted elevated levels of the major Th1-polarizing cytokine,IL-12p70,and they promoted naive CD4 T cell differentiation into Th1 T cells. Regarding BLyS receptor expression,DCs primarily express cytoplasmic transmembrane activator and CAML interactor; however,low levels of cell surface transmembrane activator and CAML interactor are expressed as well. Collectively,our data suggest that BLyS may modulate adaptive immune cells indirectly by inducing DC maturation. View Publication

The dynamic interplay between dendritic cells (DCs) and human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1) is thought to result in viral dissemination and evasion of antiviral immunity. Although initial observations suggested that the C-type lectin receptor (CLR) DC-SIGN was responsible for the trans-infection function of the virus,subsequent studies demonstrated that trans-infection of CD4(+) T cells with HIV-1 can also occur through DC-SIGN-independent mechanisms. We demonstrate that a cell surface molecule designated DCIR (for DC immunoreceptor),a member of a recently described family of DC-expressing CLRs,can participate in the capture of HIV-1 and promote infection in trans and in cis of autologous CD4(+) T cells from human immature monocyte-derived DCs. The contribution of DCIR to these processes was revealed using DCIR-specific siRNAs and a polyclonal antibody specific for the carbohydrate recognition domain of DCIR. Data from transfection experiments indicated that DCIR acts as a ligand for HIV-1 and is involved in events leading to productive virus infection. Finally,we show that the neck domain of DCIR is important for the DCIR-mediated effect on virus binding and infection. These results point to a possible role for DCIR in HIV-1 pathogenesis by supporting the productive infection of DCs and promoting virus propagation. View Publication

Preferential activation of regulatory T (Treg) cells limits autoimmune tissue damage during chronic immune responses but can also facilitate tumor growth. Here,we show that tissue-produced inflammatory mediators prime maturing dendritic cells (DC) for the differential ability of attracting anti-inflammatory Treg cells. Our data show that prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)),a factor overproduced in chronic inflammation and cancer,induces stable Treg-attracting properties in maturing DC,mediated by CCL22. The elevated production of CCL22 by PGE(2)-matured DC persists after the removal of PGE(2) and is further elevated after secondary stimulation of DC in a neutral environment. This PGE(2)-induced overproduction of CCL22 and the resulting attraction of FOXP3(+) Tregs are counteracted by IFN alpha,a mediator of acute inflammation,which also restores the ability of the PGE(2)-exposed DC to secrete the Th1-attracting chemokines: CXCL9,CXCL10,CXCL11,and CCL5. In accordance with these observations,different DCs clinically used as cancer vaccines show different Treg-recruiting abilities,with PGE(2)-matured DC,but not type 1-polarized DC,generated in the presence of type I and type II IFNs,showing high Treg-attracting activity. The current data,showing that the ability of mature DC to interact with Treg cells is predetermined at the stage of DC maturation,pave the way to preferentially target the regulatory versus proinflammatory T cells in autoimmunity and transplantation,as opposed to intracellular infections and cancer. View Publication

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) vectors transduce rhesus blood cells poorly due to a species-specific block by TRIM5alpha and APOBEC3G,which target HIV-1 capsid and viral infectivity factor (Vif),respectively. We sought to develop a lentiviral vector capable of transducing both human and rhesus blood cells by combining components of both HIV-1 and simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV),including SIV capsid (sCA) and SIV Vif. A chimeric HIV-1 vector including sCA (chiHIV) was superior to the conventional SIV in transducing a human blood cell line and superior to the conventional HIV-1 vector in transducing a rhesus blood cell line. Among human CD34(+) hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs),the chiHIV and HIV-1 vectors showed similar transduction efficiencies; in rhesus CD34(+) HSCs,the chiHIV vector yielded superior transduction rates. In in vivo competitive repopulation experiments with two rhesus macaques,the chiHIV vector demonstrated superior marking levels over the conventional HIV-1 vector in all blood lineages (first rhesus,15 to 30% versus 1 to 5%; second rhesus,7 to 15% versus 0.5 to 2%,respectively) 3 to 7 months postinfusion. In summary,we have developed an HIV-1-based lentiviral vector system that should allow comprehensive preclinical testing of HIV-1-based therapeutic vectors in the rhesus macaque model with eventual clinical application. View Publication

HIV elite controllers (EC) are a rare group of HIV-infected patients who are able to maintain undetectable viral loads during a long period of time in the absence of antiretroviral treatment. Adaptive immunity and host genetic factors,although implicated,do not entirely explain this phenomenon. On the other hand,plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) are the principal type I interferon (IFN) producers in response to viral infection,and it is unknown whether pDCs are involved in the control of HIV infection in EC. In our study,we analyzed peripheral pDC levels and IFN-α production by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in EC compared to other groups of HIV-infected patients,the ability of pDCs to reduce HIV production in vitro,and the mechanisms potentially involved. We showed preserved pDC counts and IFN-α production in EC. We also observed a higher capacity of pDCs from EC to reduce HIV production and to induce T cell apoptosis,whereas pDCs from viremic patients barely responded without previous Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR-9) stimulus. The preserved functionality of pDCs from EC to reduce viral production may be one of the mechanisms involved in the control of HIV viremia in these subjects. These results demonstrate the importance of innate immunity in HIV pathogenesis,and an understanding of pDC mechanisms would be helpful for the design of new therapies. View Publication

Current antiretroviral therapy (ART) for HIV/AIDS slows disease progression by reducing viral loads and increasing CD4 counts. Yet ART is not curative due to the persistence of CD4+ T-cell proviral reservoirs that chronically resupply active virus. Elimination of these reservoirs through the administration of synergistic combinations of latency reversing agents (LRAs),such as histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors and protein kinase C (PKC) modulators,provides a promising strategy to reduce if not eradicate the viral reservoir. Here,we demonstrate that largazole and its analogues are isoform-targeted histone deacetylase inhibitors and potent LRAs. Significantly,these isoform-targeted HDAC inhibitors synergize with PKC modulators,namely bryostatin-1 analogues (bryologs). Implementation of this unprecedented LRA combination induces HIV-1 reactivation to unparalleled levels and avoids global T-cell activation within resting CD4+ T-cells. View Publication

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) subtype C viruses with different coreceptor usage profiles were isolated from 29 South African patients with advanced AIDS. All 24 R5 isolates were inhibited by the CCR5-specific agents,PRO 140 and RANTES,while the two X4 viruses and the three R5X4 viruses were sensitive to the CXCR4-specific inhibitor,AMD3100. The five X4 or R5X4 viruses were all able to replicate in peripheral blood mononuclear cells that did not express CCR5. When tested using coreceptor-transfected cell lines,one R5 virus was also able to use CXCR6,and another R5X4 virus could use CCR3,BOB/GPR15,and CXCR6. The R5X4 and X4 viruses contained more-diverse V3 loop sequences,with a higher overall positive charge,than the R5 viruses. Hence,some HIV-1 subtype C viruses are able to use CCR5,CXCR4,or both CXCR4 and CCR5 for entry,and they are sensitive to specific inhibitors of entry via these coreceptors. These observations are relevant to understanding the rapid spread of HIV-1 subtype C in the developing world and to the design of intervention and treatment strategies. View Publication

SPD754 (AVX754) is a deoxycytidine analogue nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI) in clinical development. These studies characterized the in vitro activity of SPD754 against NRTI-resistant human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and non-clade B HIV-1 isolates,its activity in combination with other antiretrovirals,and its potential myelotoxicity and mitochondrial toxicity. SPD754 was tested against 50 clinical HIV-1 isolates (5 wild-type isolates and 45 NRTI-resistant isolates) in MT-4 cells using the Antivirogram assay. SPD754 susceptibility was reduced 1.2- to 2.2-fold against isolates resistant to zidovudine (M41L,T215Y/F,plus a median of three additional nucleoside analogue mutations [NAMs]) and/or lamivudine (M184V) and was reduced 1.3- to 2.8-fold against isolates resistant to abacavir (L74V,Y115F,and M184V plus one other NAM) or stavudine (V75T/M,M41L,T215F/Y,and four other NAMs). Insertions at amino acid position 69 and Q151M mutations (with or without M184V) reduced SPD754 susceptibility 5.2-fold and 14- to 16-fold,respectively (these changes gave values comparable to or less than the corresponding values for zidovudine,lamivudine,abacavir,and didanosine). SPD754 showed similar activity against isolates of group M HIV-1 clades,including A/G,B,C,D,A(E),D/F,F,and H. SPD754 showed additive effects in combination with other NRTIs,tenofovir,nevirapine,or saquinavir. SPD754 had no significant effects on cell viability or mitochondrial DNA in HepG2 or MT-4 cells during 28-day exposure at concentrations up to 200 microM. SPD754 showed a low potential for myelotoxicity against human bone marrow. In vitro,SPD754 retained activity against most NRTI-resistant HIV-1 clinical isolates and showed a low propensity to cause myelotoxicity and mitochondrial toxicity. View Publication

The therapeutic potential of hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) gene therapy can be fully exploited only by reaching efficient gene transfer into HSCs without compromising their biologic properties. Although HSCs can be transduced by HIV-derived lentiviral vectors (LVs) in short ex vivo culture,they display low permissivity to the vector,requiring cytokine stimulation to reach high-frequency transduction. Using stringent assays of competitive xenograft repopulation,we show that early-acting cytokines synergistically enhanced human HSC gene transfer by LVs without impairing engraftment and repopulation capacity. Using S-phase suicide assays,we show that transduction enhancement by cytokines was not dependent on cell cycle progression and that LVs can transduce quiescent HSCs. Pharmacologic inhibition of the proteasome during transduction dramatically enhanced HSC gene transfer,allowing the reach of very high levels of vector integration in their progeny in vivo. Thus,LVs are effectively restricted at a postentry step by the activity of this proteolytic complex. Unexpectedly,cytokine stimulation rapidly and substantially down-regulated proteasome activity in hematopoietic progenitors,highlighting one mechanism by which cytokines may enhance permissiveness to LV gene transfer. These findings demonstrate that antiviral responses ultimately mediated by proteasomes strongly limit the efficiency of HSC transduction by LVs and establish improved conditions for HSC-based gene therapy. View Publication

Abnormal activation of B lymphocytes is a feature commonly seen in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-infected persons. However,the mechanism(s) responsible for this dysfunction is still poorly understood. Having recently shown that CD40L,the ligand for CD40,is inserted within emerging HIV-1 particles,we hypothesized that the contact between virus-anchored host CD40L and CD40 on the surface of B lymphocytes might result in the activation of this cell type. We report here that CD40L-bearing viruses,but not isogenic virions lacking host-derived CD40L,can induce immunoglobulin G and interleukin-6 production. Furthermore,such viral entities were found to induce B-cell homotypic adhesion. These effects were paralleled at the intracellular level by the nuclear translocation of the ubiquitous transcription factor NF-kappaB. The presence of host-derived CD40L within virions resulted in an increased virus attachment to B cells and a more-efficient B-cell-mediated transfer of HIV-1 to autologous CD4(+) T lymphocytes. All the above processes were independent of the virus-encoded envelope glycoproteins. Altogether,the data gathered from this series of investigations suggest that the incorporation of host-encoded CD40L in HIV-1 is likely to play a role in the B-cell abnormalities that are seen in infected individuals. View Publication