Development of a novel in vitro primary human monocyte-derived macrophage model to study reactivation of HIV-1 transcription

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michelle E. Wong ◽  
Chad J. Johnson ◽  
Anna C. Hearps ◽  
Anthony Jaworowski
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
Hiv Infection ◽  
Human Monocyte ◽  
Hiv Reservoirs ◽  
Hiv Transcription ◽  
Latently Infected ◽  
Latent Hiv ◽  
Macrophage Populations ◽  
Reversing Agents

Latent HIV reservoirs persist in people living with HIV despite effective antiretroviral therapy and contribute to rebound viremia upon treatment interruption. Macrophages are an important reservoir cell-type, but analysis of agents that modulate latency in macrophages is limited by lack of appropriate in vitro models. We therefore generated an experimental system to investigate this by purifying non-productively-infected human monocyte-derived macrophages (MDM) following in vitro infection with an M-tropic EGFP reporter HIV clone, and quantified activation of HIV transcription using live-cell fluorescence microscopy. The proportion of HIV-infected MDM was quantified by qPCR detection of HIV DNA, and GFP expression was validated as a marker of productive HIV infection by co-labelling of HIV Gag protein. HIV transcription spontaneously reactivated in latently-infected MDM at a rate of 0.22% ± 0.04 cells per day (mean ± SEM, n=10 independent donors), producing infectious virions able to infect heterologous T cells in coculture experiments, and both T cells and TZM-bl cells in a cell-free infection system using MDM culture supernatants. Polarization to an M1 phenotype with IFNγ + TNF resulted in a 2.3 fold decrease in initial HIV infection of MDM (p<0.001, n=8) and 1.4 fold decrease in spontaneous reactivation (p=0.025, n=6) whereas M2 polarization using IL-4 prior to infection led to a 1.6 fold decrease in HIV infectivity (p=0.028, n=8), but a 2.0 fold increase in the rate of HIV reactivation in latently-infected MDM (p=0.023, n=6). The latency reversing agents bryostatin and vorinostat, but not panobinostat, significantly induced HIV reactivation in latently infected MDM (p=0.031 and p=0.038, respectively, n=6). Importance: Agents which modulate latent HIV reservoirs in infected cells are of considerable interest to HIV cure strategies. The present study characterizes a robust, reproducible model enabling quantification of HIV reactivation in primary HIV-infected human MDM which is relatively insensitive to the monocyte donor source and hence suitable for evaluating latency modifiers in MDM. The rate of initial viral infection was greater than the rate of HIV reactivation, suggesting different mechanisms regulate these processes. HIV reactivation was sensitive to macrophage polarization, suggesting cellular and tissue environments influence HIV reactivation in different macrophage populations. Importantly, latently infected MDM showed different susceptibility to certain latency reversing agents known to be effective in T cells, indicating dedicated strategies may be required to target latently-infected macrophage populations in vivo .

scholarly journals FOXO1 promotes HIV Latency by suppressing ER stress in T cells

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Albert Vallejo-Gracia ◽  
Irene P. Chen ◽  
Rosalba Perrone ◽  
Emilie Besnard ◽  
Daniela Boehm ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
T Cell ◽  
Hiv Infection ◽  
Er Stress ◽  
Viral Reservoir ◽  
Activated T Cells ◽  
Calcium Dependent ◽  
Cell Quiescence ◽  
Latently Infected ◽  
Latent Hiv

AbstractQuiescence is a hallmark of CD4+ T cells latently infected with HIV-1. While reversing this quiescence is an effective approach to reactivate latent HIV from T cells in culture, it can cause deleterious cytokine dysregulation in patients. Here we report that FOXO1, a key regulator of T-cell quiescence, promotes latency and suppresses productive HIV infection. In resting T cells, FOXO1 inhibition induces ER stress and activates two associated transcription factors: activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4) and nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT). Both factors associate with HIV chromatin and are necessary for HIV reactivation. Indeed, inhibition of PKR-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase (PERK), a known link between ER stress and ATF4, and calcineurin, a calcium-dependent regulator of NFAT, synergistically suppress HIV reactivation induced by FOXO1 inhibition. Thus, our studies uncover a novel link between FOXO1, ER stress, and HIV infection that could be therapeutically exploited to selectively reverse T-cell quiescence and reduce the size of the latent viral reservoir.

scholarly journals Human splice factors contribute to latent HIV infection in primary cell models and blood CD4+ T cells from ART-treated individuals

2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (11) ◽  
pp. e1009060
Author(s):  
Sara Moron-Lopez ◽  
Sushama Telwatte ◽  
Indra Sarabia ◽  
Emilie Battivelli ◽  
Mauricio Montano ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
Hiv Infection ◽  
Primary Cell ◽  
Cell Models ◽  
Transcriptional Initiation ◽  
Cellular Genes ◽  
Latently Infected ◽  
Infected Cells ◽  
Latent Hiv

It is unclear what mechanisms govern latent HIV infection in vivo or in primary cell models. To investigate these questions, we compared the HIV and cellular transcription profile in three primary cell models and peripheral CD4+ T cells from HIV-infected ART-suppressed individuals using RT-ddPCR and RNA-seq. All primary cell models recapitulated the block to HIV multiple splicing seen in cells from ART-suppressed individuals, suggesting that this may be a key feature of HIV latency in primary CD4+ T cells. Blocks to HIV transcriptional initiation and elongation were observed more variably among models. A common set of 234 cellular genes, including members of the minor spliceosome pathway, was differentially expressed between unstimulated and activated cells from primary cell models and ART-suppressed individuals, suggesting these genes may play a role in the blocks to HIV transcription and splicing underlying latent infection. These genes may represent new targets for therapies designed to reactivate or silence latently-infected cells.

scholarly journals Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Can Establish Latent Infection in Resting CD4+ T Cells in the Absence of Activating Stimuli

2005 ◽  
Vol 79 (22) ◽  
pp. 14179-14188 ◽  
Author(s):  
William J. Swiggard ◽  
Clifford Baytop ◽  
Jianqing J. Yu ◽  
Jihong Dai ◽  
Chuanzhao Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Human Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
T Cells ◽  
Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type ◽  
Virus Type ◽  
Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Latently Infected ◽  
Latent Hiv ◽  
Hiv 1

ABSTRACT Resting CD4+ T cells are the best-defined reservoir of latent human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection, but how the reservoir is formed is unclear. Understanding how the reservoir of latently infected cells forms is critical because it is a major barrier to curing HIV infection. The system described here may provide an in vitro model of latent HIV-1 infection in resting CD4+ T cells. We demonstrated that HIV-1 integrates into the genomes of in vitro-inoculated resting CD4+ T cells that have not received activating stimuli and have not entered cell cycle stage G1b. A percentage of the resting CD4+ T cells that contain integrated DNA produce virus upon stimulation, i.e., are latently infected. Our results show that latent HIV-1 infection occurs in unstimulated resting CD4+ T cells and suggest a new route for HIV-1 reservoir formation.

scholarly journals Combinatorial Use of Both Epigenetic and Non-Epigenetic Mechanisms to Efficiently Reactivate HIV Latency

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (7) ◽  
pp. 3697
Author(s):  
Joseph Hokello ◽  
Adhikarimayum Lakhikumar Sharma ◽  
Mudit Tyagi
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Trials ◽  
T Cells ◽  
Cd4 T Cells ◽  
Hiv Latency ◽  
Epigenetic Mechanisms ◽  
Latently Infected ◽  
Latent Hiv ◽  
Memory Cd4 T Cells ◽  
Cd4 Cell ◽  
Reversing Agents

The persistence of latent HIV provirus pools in different resting CD4+ cell subsets remains the greatest obstacle in the current efforts to treat and cure HIV infection. Recent efforts to purge out latently infected memory CD4+ T-cells using latency-reversing agents have failed in clinical trials. This review discusses the epigenetic and non-epigenetic mechanisms of HIV latency control, major limitations of the current approaches of using latency-reversing agents to reactivate HIV latency in resting CD4+ T-cells, and potential solutions to these limitations.

scholarly journals CD32 is expressed on cells with transcriptionally active HIV but does not enrich for HIV DNA in resting T cells

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (437) ◽  
pp. eaar6759 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohamed Abdel-Mohsen ◽  
Leticia Kuri-Cervantes ◽  
Judith Grau-Exposito ◽  
Adam M. Spivak ◽  
Racheal A. Nell ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
Hiv Infection ◽  
Peripheral Blood ◽  
Lymphoid Tissue ◽  
Peripheral Blood Mononuclear ◽  
Hiv Dna ◽  
Dna And Rna ◽  
Latently Infected

The persistence of HIV reservoirs, including latently infected, resting CD4+ T cells, is the major obstacle to cure HIV infection. CD32a expression was recently reported to mark CD4+ T cells harboring a replication-competent HIV reservoir during antiretroviral therapy (ART) suppression. We aimed to determine whether CD32 expression marks HIV latently or transcriptionally active infected CD4+ T cells. Using peripheral blood and lymphoid tissue of ART-treated HIV+ or SIV+ subjects, we found that most of the circulating memory CD32+ CD4+ T cells expressed markers of activation, including CD69, HLA-DR, CD25, CD38, and Ki67, and bore a TH2 phenotype as defined by CXCR3, CCR4, and CCR6. CD32 expression did not selectively enrich for HIV- or SIV-infected CD4+ T cells in peripheral blood or lymphoid tissue; isolated CD32+ resting CD4+ T cells accounted for less than 3% of the total HIV DNA in CD4+ T cells. Cell-associated HIV DNA and RNA loads in CD4+ T cells positively correlated with the frequency of CD32+ CD69+ CD4+ T cells but not with CD32 expression on resting CD4+ T cells. Using RNA fluorescence in situ hybridization, CD32 coexpression with HIV RNA or p24 was detected after in vitro HIV infection (peripheral blood mononuclear cell and tissue) and in vivo within lymph node tissue from HIV-infected individuals. Together, these results indicate that CD32 is not a marker of resting CD4+ T cells or of enriched HIV DNA–positive cells after ART; rather, CD32 is predominately expressed on a subset of activated CD4+ T cells enriched for transcriptionally active HIV after long-term ART.

scholarly journals Combinations of Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors with Distinct Latency Reversing Agents Variably Affect HIV Reactivation and Susceptibility to NK Cell-Mediated Killing of T Cells That Exit Viral Latency

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (13) ◽  
pp. 6654
Author(s):  
Daniela A. Covino ◽  
Maria G. Desimio ◽  
Margherita Doria
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
Nk Cells ◽  
Histone Deacetylase ◽  
Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors ◽  
Nk Cell ◽  
Hiv Reservoir ◽  
Nkg2d Ligands ◽  
Latent Hiv ◽  
Reversing Agents

The ‘shock-and-kill’ strategy to purge the latent HIV reservoir relies on latency-reversing agents (LRAs) to reactivate the provirus and subsequent immune-mediated killing of HIV-expressing cells. Yet, clinical trials employing histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACis; Vorinostat, Romidepsin, Panobinostat) as LRAs failed to reduce the HIV reservoir size, stressing the need for more effective latency reversal strategies, such as 2-LRA combinations, and enhancement of the immune responses. Interestingly, several LRAs are employed to treat cancer because they up-modulate ligands for the NKG2D NK-cell activating receptor on tumor cells. Therefore, using in vitro T cell models of HIV latency and NK cells, we investigated the capacity of HDACis, either alone or combined with a distinct LRA, to potentiate the NKG2D/NKG2D ligands axis. While Bortezomib proteasome inhibitor was toxic for both T and NK cells, the GS-9620 TLR-7 agonist antagonized HIV reactivation and NKG2D ligand expression by HDACis. Conversely, co-administration of the Prostratin PKC agonist attenuated HDACi toxicity and, when combined with Romidepsin, stimulated HIV reactivation and further up-modulated NKG2D ligands on HIV+ T cells and NKG2D on NK cells, ultimately boosting NKG2D-mediated viral suppression by NK cells. These findings disclose limitations of LRA candidates and provide evidence that NK cell suppression of reactivated HIV may be modulated by specific 2-LRA combinations.

scholarly journals Identification of novel genes involved in apoptosis of HIV-infected macrophages using unbiased genome-wide screening

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon X. M. Dong ◽  
Frederick S. Vizeacoumar ◽  
Kalpana K. Bhanumathy ◽  
Nezeka Alli ◽  
Cristina Gonzalez-Lopez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
Hiv Infection ◽  
Respiratory Chain ◽  
Cd4 T Cells ◽  
Chain Complex ◽  
Respiratory Chain Complex ◽  
Complex Ii ◽  
Genome Wide ◽  
Latently Infected ◽  
Induced Apoptosis

Abstract Background Macrophages, besides resting latently infected CD4+ T cells, constitute the predominant stable, major non-T cell HIV reservoirs. Therefore, it is essential to eliminate both latently infected CD4+ T cells and tissue macrophages to completely eradicate HIV in patients. Until now, most of the research focus is directed towards eliminating latently infected CD4+ T cells. However, few approaches have been directed at killing of HIV-infected macrophages either in vitro or in vivo. HIV infection dysregulates the expression of many host genes essential for the survival of infected cells. We postulated that exploiting this alteration may yield novel targets for the selective killing of infected macrophages. Methods We applied a pooled shRNA-based genome-wide approach by employing a lentivirus-based library of shRNAs to screen novel gene targets whose inhibition should selectively induce apoptosis in HIV-infected macrophages. Primary human MDMs were infected with HIV-eGFP and HIV-HSA viruses. Infected MDMs were transfected with siRNAs specific for the promising genes followed by analysis of apoptosis by flow cytometry using labelled Annexin-V in HIV-infected, HIV-exposed but uninfected bystander MDMs and uninfected MDMs. The results were analyzed using student’s t-test from at least four independent experiments. Results We validated 28 top hits in two independent HIV infection models. This culminated in the identification of four target genes, Cox7a2, Znf484, Cstf2t, and Cdk2, whose loss-of-function induced apoptosis preferentially in HIV-infected macrophages. Silencing these single genes killed significantly higher number of HIV-HSA-infected MDMs compared to the HIV-HSA-exposed, uninfected bystander macrophages, indicating the specificity in the killing of HIV-infected macrophages. The mechanism governing Cox7a2-mediated apoptosis of HIV-infected macrophages revealed that targeting respiratory chain complex II and IV genes also selectively induced apoptosis of HIV-infected macrophages possibly through enhanced ROS production. Conclusions We have identified above-mentioned novel genes and specifically the respiratory chain complex II and IV genes whose silencing may cause selective elimination of HIV-infected macrophages and eventually the HIV-macrophage reservoirs. The results highlight the potential of the identified genes as targets for eliminating HIV-infected macrophages in physiological environment as part of an HIV cure strategy.

scholarly journals An anti-CD45RO immunotoxin eliminates T cells latently infected with HIV-1 in vitro

1999 ◽  
Vol 96 (20) ◽  
pp. 11482-11485 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. McCoig ◽  
G. Van Dyke ◽  
C.-S. Chou ◽  
L. J. Picker ◽  
O. Ramilo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
Latently Infected ◽  
Hiv 1

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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