scholarly journals The replication-competent HIV-1 latent reservoir is primarily established near the time of therapy initiation

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (513) ◽  
pp. eaaw5589 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melissa-Rose Abrahams ◽  
Sarah B. Joseph ◽  
Nigel Garrett ◽  
Lynn Tyers ◽  
Matthew Moeser ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
Acute Infection ◽  
Latent Reservoir ◽  
Viral Reservoirs ◽  
Art Initiation ◽  
Therapy Initiation ◽  
Hiv Positive Women ◽  
Latent Hiv ◽  
Viral Sequences ◽  
Hiv 1

Although antiretroviral therapy (ART) is highly effective at suppressing HIV-1 replication, the virus persists as a latent reservoir in resting CD4+ T cells during therapy. This reservoir forms even when ART is initiated early after infection, but the dynamics of its formation are largely unknown. The viral reservoirs of individuals who initiate ART during chronic infection are generally larger and genetically more diverse than those of individuals who initiate therapy during acute infection, consistent with the hypothesis that the reservoir is formed continuously throughout untreated infection. To determine when viruses enter the latent reservoir, we compared sequences of replication-competent viruses from resting peripheral CD4+ T cells from nine HIV-positive women on therapy to viral sequences circulating in blood collected longitudinally before therapy. We found that, on average, 71% of the unique viruses induced from the post-therapy latent reservoir were most genetically similar to viruses replicating just before ART initiation. This proportion is far greater than would be expected if the reservoir formed continuously and was always long lived. We conclude that ART alters the host environment in a way that allows the formation or stabilization of most of the long-lived latent HIV-1 reservoir, which points to new strategies targeted at limiting the formation of the reservoir around the time of therapy initiation.

scholarly journals The Replication-Competent HIV-1 Latent Reservoir is Primarily Established Near the Time of Therapy Initiation

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melissa-Rose Abrahams ◽  
Sarah B. Joseph ◽  
Nigel Garrett ◽  
Lynn Tyers ◽  
Matthew Moeser ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
Cd4 T Cells ◽  
Chronic Infection ◽  
Acute Infection ◽  
Latent Reservoir ◽  
Host Environment ◽  
Therapy Initiation ◽  
Latent Hiv ◽  
Viral Sequences ◽  
Hiv 1

AbstractAlthough antiretroviral therapy (ART) is highly effective at suppressing HIV-1 replication, the virus persists as a latent reservoir in resting CD4+ T cells during therapy. Little is known about the dynamics of reservoir formation and this reservoir forms even when ART is initiated early after infection. The reservoir of individuals who initiate therapy in chronic infection is generally larger and genetically more diverse than that of individuals who initiate in acute infection, suggesting the reservoir is formed continuously throughout untreated infection. To determine when viruses enter the latent reservoir, we compared sequences of replication-competent viruses from resting CD4+ T cells from nine women on therapy to viral sequences circulating in blood collected longitudinally prior to therapy. We found that 78% of viruses from the latent reservoir were most genetically similar to viruses replicating just prior to therapy initiation. This proportion is far greater than expected if the reservoir forms continuously and is always long-lived. Thus, therapy alters the host environment in a way that allows the formation of a majority of the long-lived latent HIV-1 reservoir.One Sentence SummaryMost of the long-lived, replication-competent HIV-1 reservoir is formed at the time of therapy initiation.

scholarly journals Characterization of Intact Proviruses in Blood and Lymph Node from HIV-Infected Individuals Undergoing Analytical Treatment Interruption

2019 ◽  
Vol 93 (8) ◽  
Author(s):  
Line K. Vibholm ◽  
Julio C. C. Lorenzi ◽  
Joy A. Pai ◽  
Yehuda Z. Cohen ◽  
Thiago Y. Oliveira ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
Lymph Node ◽  
Treatment Interruption ◽  
Latent Reservoir ◽  
Lymphoid Tissues ◽  
Viral Rebound ◽  
Analytical Treatment ◽  
Latent Hiv ◽  
Hiv 1

ABSTRACT The role of lymphoid tissue as a potential source of HIV-1 rebound following interruption of antiretroviral therapy (ART) is uncertain. To address this issue, we compared the latent viruses obtained from CD4+ T cells in peripheral blood and lymph nodes to viruses emerging during treatment interruption. Latent viruses were characterized by sequencing near-full-length (NFL) proviral DNA and env from viral outgrowth assays (VOAs). Five HIV-1-infected individuals on ART were studied, four of whom participated in a clinical trial of a TLR9 agonist that included an analytical treatment interruption. We found that 98% of intact or replication-competent clonal sequences overlapped between blood and lymph node. In contrast, there was no overlap between 205 latent reservoir and 125 rebound sequences in the four individuals who underwent treatment interruption. However, rebound viruses could be accounted for by recombination. The data suggest that CD4+ T cells carrying latent viruses circulate between blood and lymphoid tissues in individuals on ART and support the idea that recombination may play a role in the emergence of rebound viremia. IMPORTANCE HIV-1 persists as a latent infection in CD4+ T cells that can be found in lymphoid tissues in infected individuals during ART. However, the importance of this tissue reservoir and its contribution to viral rebound upon ART interruption are not clear. In this study, we sought to compare latent HIV-1 from blood and lymph node CD4+ T cells from five HIV-1-infected individuals. Further, we analyzed the contribution of lymph node viruses to viral rebound. We observed that the frequencies of intact proviruses were the same in blood and lymph node. Moreover, expanded clones of T cells bearing identical proviruses were found in blood and lymph node. These latent reservoir sequences did not appear to be the direct origin of rebound virus. Instead, latent proviruses were found to contribute to the rebound compartment by recombination.

scholarly journals Humanized Mouse Model of HIV-1 Latency with Enrichment of Latent Virus in PD-1+and TIGIT+CD4 T Cells

2019 ◽  
Vol 93 (10) ◽  
Author(s):  
George N. Llewellyn ◽  
Eduardo Seclén ◽  
Stephen Wietgrefe ◽  
Siyu Liu ◽  
Morgan Chateau ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
Mouse Model ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Latent Reservoir ◽  
Humanized Mouse ◽  
Humanized Mouse Model ◽  
Latently Infected ◽  
Infected Cells ◽  
Latent Hiv ◽  
Hiv 1

ABSTRACTCombination anti-retroviral drug therapy (ART) potently suppresses HIV-1 replication but does not result in virus eradication or a cure. A major contributing factor is the long-term persistence of a reservoir of latently infected cells. To study this reservoir, we established a humanized mouse model of HIV-1 infection and ART suppression based on an oral ART regimen. Similar to humans, HIV-1 levels in the blood of ART-treated animals were frequently suppressed below the limits of detection. However, the limited timeframe of the mouse model and the small volume of available samples makes it a challenging model with which to achieve full viral suppression and to investigate the latent reservoir. We therefore used anex vivolatency reactivation assay that allows a semiquantitative measure of the latent reservoir that establishes in individual animals, regardless of whether they are treated with ART. Using this assay, we found that latently infected human CD4 T cells can be readily detected in mouse lymphoid tissues and that latent HIV-1 was enriched in populations expressing markers of T cell exhaustion, PD-1 and TIGIT. In addition, we were able to use theex vivolatency reactivation assay to demonstrate that HIV-specific TALENs can reduce the fraction of reactivatable virus in the latently infected cell population that establishesin vivo, supporting the use of targeted nuclease-based approaches for an HIV-1 cure.IMPORTANCEHIV-1 can establish latent infections that are not cleared by current antiretroviral drugs or the body’s immune responses and therefore represent a major barrier to curing HIV-infected individuals. However, the lack of expression of viral antigens on latently infected cells makes them difficult to identify or study. Here, we describe a humanized mouse model that can be used to detect latent but reactivatable HIV-1 in both untreated mice and those on ART and therefore provides a simple system with which to study the latent HIV-1 reservoir and the impact of interventions aimed at reducing it.

scholarly journals Hit-and-Run Stimulation: a Novel Concept To Reactivate Latent HIV-1 Infection without Cytokine Gene Induction

2010 ◽  
Vol 84 (17) ◽  
pp. 8712-8720 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frank Wolschendorf ◽  
Alexandra Duverger ◽  
Jennifer Jones ◽  
Frederic H. Wagner ◽  
Jason Huff ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
T Cells ◽  
Gene Induction ◽  
Cytokine Gene Expression ◽  
Latent Reservoir ◽  
Viral Gene ◽  
Cytokine Gene ◽  
Treatment Interruptions ◽  
Latent Hiv ◽  
Hiv 1

ABSTRACT Current antiretroviral therapy (ART) efficiently controls HIV-1 replication but fails to eradicate the virus. Even after years of successful ART, HIV-1 can conceal itself in a latent state in long-lived CD4+ memory T cells. From this latent reservoir, HIV-1 rebounds during treatment interruptions. Attempts to therapeutically eradicate this viral reservoir have yielded disappointing results. A major problem with previously utilized activating agents is that at the concentrations required for efficient HIV-1 reactivation, these stimuli trigger high-level cytokine gene expression (hypercytokinemia). Therapeutically relevant HIV-1-reactivating agents will have to trigger HIV-1 reactivation without the induction of cytokine expression. We present here a proof-of-principle study showing that this is a possibility. In a high-throughput screening effort, we identified an HIV-1-reactivating protein factor (HRF) secreted by the nonpathogenic bacterium Massilia timonae. In primary T cells and T-cell lines, HRF triggered a high but nonsustained peak of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) activity. While this short NF-κB peak potently reactivated latent HIV-1 infection, it failed to induce gene expression of several proinflammatory NF-κB-dependent cellular genes, such as those for tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-8 (IL-8), and gamma interferon (IFN-γ). Dissociation of cellular and viral gene induction was achievable, as minimum amounts of Tat protein, synthesized following application of a short NF-κB pulse, triggered HIV-1 transactivation and subsequent self-perpetuated HIV-1 expression. In the absence of such a positive feedback mechanism, cellular gene expression was not sustained, suggesting that strategies modulating the NF-κB activity profile could be used to selectively trigger HIV-1 reactivation.

scholarly journals Establishment and Reversal of HIV-1 Latency in Naive and Central Memory CD4+T CellsIn Vitro

2016 ◽  
Vol 90 (18) ◽  
pp. 8059-8073 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer M. Zerbato ◽  
Erik Serrao ◽  
Gina Lenzi ◽  
Baek Kim ◽  
Zandrea Ambrose ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
T Cell ◽  
Central Memory ◽  
T Cell Subsets ◽  
Latent Reservoir ◽  
Memory Cells ◽  
Consistent Finding ◽  
Latent Hiv ◽  
Hiv 1 ◽  
Reversing Agents

ABSTRACTThe latent HIV-1 reservoir primarily resides in resting CD4+T cells which are a heterogeneous population composed of both naive (TN) and memory cells. In HIV-1-infected individuals, viral DNA has been detected in both naive and memory CD4+T cell subsets although the frequency of HIV-1 DNA is typically higher in memory cells, particularly in the central memory (TCM) cell subset. TNand TCMcells are distinct cell populations distinguished by many phenotypic and physiological differences. In this study, we used a primary cell model of HIV-1 latency that utilizes direct infection of highly purified TNand TCMcells to address differences in the establishment and reversal of HIV-1 latency. Consistent with what is seenin vivo, we found that HIV-1 infected TNcells less efficiently than TCMcells. However, when the infected TNcells were treated with latency-reversing agents, including anti-CD3/CD28 antibodies, phorbol myristate acetate/phytohemagglutinin, and prostratin, as much (if not more) extracellular virion-associated HIV-1 RNA was produced per infected TNcell as per infected TCMcell. There were no major differences in the genomic distribution of HIV-1 integration sites between TNand TCMcells that accounted for these observed differences. We observed decay of the latent HIV-1 cells in both T cell subsets after exposure to each of the latency-reversing agents. Collectively, these data highlight significant differences in the establishment and reversal of HIV-1 latency in TNand TCMCD4+T cells and suggest that each subset should be independently studied in preclinical and clinical studies.IMPORTANCEThe latent HIV-1 reservoir is frequently described as residing within resting memory CD4+T cells. This is largely due to the consistent finding that memory CD4+T cells, specifically the central (TCM) and transitional memory compartments, harbor the highest levels of HIV-1 DNA in individuals on suppressive therapy. This has yielded little research into the contribution of CD4+naive T (TN) cells to the latent reservoir. In this study, we show that although TNcells harbor significantly lower levels of HIV-1 DNA, following latency reversal, they produced as many virions as did the TCMcells (if not more virions). This suggests that latently infected TNcells may be a major source of virus following treatment interruption or failure. These findings highlight the need for a better understanding of the establishment and reversal of HIV-1 latency in TNcells in evaluating therapeutic approaches to eliminate the latent reservoir.

scholarly journals Inhibition of Polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1) facilitates the elimination of HIV-1 viral reservoirs in CD4+ T cells ex vivo

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (29) ◽  
pp. eaba1941
Author(s):  
Dawei Zhou ◽  
Tsuyoshi Hayashi ◽  
Maxime Jean ◽  
Weili Kong ◽  
Guillaume Fiches ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
Nuclear Translocation ◽  
De Novo ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Protein Stabilization ◽  
Viral Reservoirs ◽  
Promising Target ◽  
Latent Hiv ◽  
Hiv 1

Although combination antiretroviral therapy is effective in controlling HIV-1 infection, latent HIV-1 proviruses cannot be eliminated. HIV-1 reactivation induced by the mere use of latency-reversing agents is insufficient to render death of reservoir cells, indicating that certain intrinsic survival mechanisms exist. We report that Polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1) plays a critical role in survival of CD4+ T cells that undergo HIV-1 reactivation from latency or de novo infection. PLK1 is elevated in both scenarios, which requires HIV-1 Nef. HIV-1 enhances PLK1 SUMOylation, causing its nuclear translocation and protein stabilization. Inhibition or knockdown of PLK1 markedly facilitates death of HIV-1-infected CD4+ T cells. Furthermore, PLK1 inhibitors strikingly reduce the size of HIV-1 latent reservoirs in primary CD4+ T cells. Our findings demonstrate that HIV-1 infection hijacks PLK1 to prevent cell death induced by viral cytopathic effects, and that PLK1 is a promising target for chemical “killing” of HIV-1 reservoir cells.

scholarly journals Inconsistent Reversal of HIV-1 Latency Ex Vivo by Antigens of HIV-1, CMV, and Other Infectious Agents

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Vollbrecht ◽  
Aaron O. Angerstein ◽  
Bryson Menke ◽  
Nikesh M. Kumar ◽  
Michelli Faria Oliveira ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
T Cell ◽  
T Cell Activation ◽  
Cd4 T Cells ◽  
Cell Activation ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Latent Reservoir ◽  
Antigen Specificity ◽  
Pcr Assay ◽  
Hiv 1

Abstract BackgroundA reservoir of replication-competent but latent virus is the main obstacle to a cure for HIV-infection. Much of this reservoir resides in memory CD4 T cells. We hypothesized that these cells can be reactivated with antigens from HIV and other common pathogens to reverse latency. ResultsWe obtained mononuclear cells from the peripheral blood of antiretroviral-treated patients with suppressed viremia. We tested pools of peptides and proteins derived from HIV and from other pathogens including CMV for their ability to reverse latency ex vivo by activation of memory responses. We assessed activation of the CD4 T cells by measuring the up-regulation of cell-surface CD69. We assessed HIV-expression using two assays: a real-time PCR assay for virion-associated viral RNA and a droplet digital PCR assay for cell-associated, multiply spliced viral mRNA. Reversal of latency occurred in a minority of cells from some participants, but no single antigen induced HIV-expression ex vivo consistently. When reversal of latency was induced by a specific peptide pool or protein, the extent was proportionally greater than that of T cell activation. ConclusionsIn this group of patients in whom antiretroviral therapy was started during chronic infection, the latent reservoir does not appear to consistently reside in CD4 T cells of a predominant antigen-specificity. Peptide-antigens reversed HIV-latency ex vivo with modest and variable activity. When latency was reversed by specific peptides or proteins, it was proportionally greater than the extent of T cell activation, suggesting partial enrichment of the latent reservoir in cells of specific antigen-reactivity.

scholarly journals Evaluation of HIV-1 latency reversal and antibody-dependent viral clearance by quantification of singly spliced HIV-1 vpu/env mRNA

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hongbo Gao ◽  
Ayşe N. Ozantürk ◽  
Qiankun Wang ◽  
Gray H. Harlan ◽  
Aaron J. Schmitz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
Neutralizing Antibodies ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Viral Envelope ◽  
Latent Reservoir ◽  
Broadly Neutralizing Antibodies ◽  
Major Barrier ◽  
Hiv 1 ◽  
Reversing Agents

The latent reservoir of HIV-1 is a major barrier for viral eradication. Potent HIV-1 broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNabs) have been used to prevent and treat HIV-1 infections in animal models and clinical trials. Combination of bNabs and latency-reversing agents (LRAs) is considered a promising approach for HIV-1 eradication. PCR-based assays that can rapidly and specifically measure singly spliced HIV-1 vpu/env mRNA are needed to evaluate the induction of the viral envelope production at the transcription level and bNab-mediated reservoir clearance. Here we reported a PCR-based method to accurately quantify the production of intracellular HIV-1 vpu/env mRNA. With the vpu/env assay, we determined the LRA combinations that could effectively induce vpu/env mRNA production in CD4+ T cells from ART-treated individuals. None of the tested LRAs were effective alone. A comparison between the quantitative viral outgrowth assay (Q-VOA) and the vpu/env assay showed that vpu/env mRNA production was closely associated with the reactivation of replication-competent HIV-1, suggesting that vpu/env mRNA was mainly produced by intact viruses. Finally, antibody-mediated in vitro killing in HIV-1-infected humanized mice demonstrated that the vpu/env assay could be used to measure the reduction of infected cells in tissues and was more accurate than the commonly used gag-based PCR assay which measured unspliced viral genomic RNA. In conclusion, the vpu/env assay allows convenient and accurate assessment of HIV-1 latency reversal and bNab-mediated therapeutic strategies. Importance HIV-1 persists in individuals on antiretroviral therapy (ART) due to the long-lived cellular reservoirs that contain dormant viruses. Recent discoveries of HIV-1-specific broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNabs) targeting HIV-1 Env protein rekindled the interest in antibody-mediated elimination of latent HIV-1. Latency-reversing agents (LRAs) together with HIV-1 bNabs is a possible strategy to clear residual viral reservoirs, which makes the evaluation of HIV-1 Env expression upon LRA treatment critical. We developed a PCR-based assay to quantify the production of intracellular HIV-1 vpu/env mRNA. Using patient CD4+ T cells, we found that induction of HIV-1 vpu/env mRNA required a combination of different LRAs. Using in vitro, ex vivo and humanized mouse models, we showed that the vpu/env assay could be used to measure antibody efficacy in clearing HIV-1 infection. These results suggest that the vpu/env assay can accurately evaluate HIV-1 reactivation and bNab-based therapeutic interventions.

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