scholarly journals Mutants of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 (HIV-1) Reverse Transcriptase Resistant to Nonnucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors Demonstrate Altered Rates of RNase H Cleavage That Correlate with HIV-1 Replication Fitness in Cell Culture

2000 ◽  
Vol 74 (18) ◽  
pp. 8390-8401 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard H. Archer ◽  
Carrie Dykes ◽  
Peter Gerondelis ◽  
Amanda Lloyd ◽  
Philip Fay ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Three mutants of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) reverse transcriptase (V106A, V179D, and Y181C), which occur in clinical isolates and confer resistance to nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs), were analyzed for RNA- and DNA-dependent DNA polymerization and RNase H cleavage. All mutants demonstrated processivities of polymerization that were indistinguishable from wild-type enzyme under conditions in which deoxynucleoside triphosphates were not limiting. The V106A reverse transcriptase demonstrated a three- to fourfold slowing of both DNA 3′-end-directed and RNA 5′-end-directed RNase H cleavage relative to both wild-type and V179D enzymes, similar to what was observed for P236L in a previously published study (P. Gerondelis et al., J. Virol. 73:5803–5813, 1999). In contrast, the Y181C reverse transcriptase demonstrated a selective acceleration of the secondary RNase H cleavage step during both modes of RNase H cleavage. The relative replication fitness of these mutants in H9 cells was assessed in parallel infections as well as in growth competition experiments. Of the NNRTI-resistant mutants, V179D was more fit than Y181C, and both of these mutants were more fit than V106A, which demonstrated the greatest reduction in RNase H cleavage. These findings, in combination with results from previous work, suggest that abnormalities in RNase H cleavage are a common characteristic of HIV-1 mutants resistant to NNRTIs and that combined reductions in the rates of DNA 3′-end- and RNA 5′-end-directed cleavages are associated with significant reductions in the replication fitness of HIV-1.

2002 ◽  
Vol 46 (6) ◽  
pp. 1851-1856 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dimitrios Motakis ◽  
Michael A. Parniak

ABSTRACT It was previously found that certain nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTI) possess virucidal activity against human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), and it was suggested that the tight-binding mode of inhibition of reverse transcriptase might be important for this virucidal activity (Borkow et al., J. Virol. 71:3023-3030, 1997). To test this, we compared six different NNRTI, including three tight-binding NNRTI, namely UC781, efavirenz (EFV) (Sustiva), and 5-chloro-3-phenylsulfonylindole-2-carboxamide (CSIC), and three rapid-equilibrium NNRTI, delavirdine (DLV) (Rescriptor), nevirapine (NVP) (Viramune), and UC84, in a variety of virucidal tests. Incubation of isolated HIV-1 virions with UC781, EFV, or CSIC rapidly inactivated the virus, whereas DLV, NVP, and UC84 were ineffective in this respect. Exposure of H9+ cells chronically infected by HIV-1 to the tight-binding NNRTI abolished the infectivity of nascent virus subsequently produced by these cells following removal of extracellular drug, thereby preventing cell-to-cell virus transmission in the absence of exogenous drug. In contrast, cell-to-cell transmission of HIV was blocked by DLV, NVP, and UC84 only when the drug remained in the extracellular medium. Pretreatment of uninfected lymphocytoid cells with UC781, EFV, or CSIC, but not DLV, NVP, or UC84, protected these cells from subsequent HIV-1 infection in the absence of extracellular drug. The protective effect was dependent on both the dose of NNRTI and the viral load. The overall virucidal efficacy of the tight-binding NNRTI tested was CSIC > UC781 ≃ EFV. We conclude that the tight-binding mode of inhibition is an essential characteristic for virucidal NNRTI and that antiviral potency is an insufficient predictor for virucidal utility of NNRTI.


1999 ◽  
Vol 73 (7) ◽  
pp. 5803-5813 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Gerondelis ◽  
Richard H. Archer ◽  
Chockalingam Palaniappan ◽  
Richard C. Reichman ◽  
Philip J. Fay ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT The nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase (RT) inhibitor (NNRTI) delavirdine (DLV) selects in vitro for the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) RT mutation P236L, which confers high-level resistance to DLV but not other NNRTIs. Unexpectedly, P236L has developed infrequently in HIV-1 isolates obtained from patients receiving DLV; K103N is the predominant resistance mutation observed in that setting. We characterized the replication fitness of viruses derived from pNL4-3 containing P236L or K103N in both H9 and primary human peripheral blood mononuclear cell cultures infected in parallel with the two mutants. In the absence of DLV, p24 production by wild-type virus occurred more rapidly and to higher levels than with either mutant; P236L consistently demonstrated a two- to threefold decrease in p24 relative to K103N. At low levels of DLV, growth of wild-type virus was severely inhibited, and K103N replicated two- to threefold more efficiently than P236L. At high concentrations of DLV, P236L replication and K103N replication were both inhibited. Recombinant RTs containing K103N or P236L were analyzed for DNA polymerization on heteropolymeric RNA templates and RNase H degradation of RNA-DNA hybrids. Neither mutant demonstrated defects in polymerization. K103N demonstrated normal RNA 5′-end-directed RNase H cleavage and slowed DNA 3′-end-directed RNase H cleavage compared to wild-type RT. P236L demonstrated slowing of both DNA 3′-end- and RNA 5′-end-directed RNase H cleavage, consistent with its reduced replication efficiency relative to K103N. These data suggest that NNRTI resistance mutations can lead to reductions in the efficiency of RNase H cleavage, which may contribute to a reduction in the replication fitness of HIV-1.


2005 ◽  
Vol 79 (18) ◽  
pp. 11952-11961 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael E. Abram ◽  
Michael A. Parniak

ABSTRACT Each of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) pol-encoded enzymes, protease (PR), reverse transcriptase (RT), and integrase (IN), is active only as a dimer (or higher-order oligomer in the case of IN), but only RT comprises subunits of different masses. RT is a heterodimer of 66-kDa and 51-kDa subunits. The latter is formed by HIV PR-catalyzed cleavage of p66 during virion maturation, resulting in the removal of the RNase H (RNH) domain of a p66 subunit. In order to study the apparent need for RT heterodimers in the context of the virion, we introduced a variety of mutations in the RT p51-RNH protease cleavage site of an infectious HIV-1 molecular clone. Surprisingly, rather than leading to virions with increased RT p66 content, most of the mutations resulted in significantly attenuated virus that contained greatly decreased levels of RT that in many cases was primarily p51 RT. IN levels were also reduced in several mutants. However, most mutants showed normal levels of the Pr160gag-pol precursor polyprotein, suggesting that reduced virion RT arose from proteolytic instability rather than decreased incorporation. Mutant virion p24 Gag levels were equivalent to wild type, indicating that Gag incorporation and processing were not affected. Repeated passage of MT-2 cells exposed to mutant viruses led to the appearance of virus with improved replication capacity; these virions contained normally processed RT at near-wild-type levels. These results imply that additional proteolytic processing of RT to the p66/p51 heterodimer is essential to provide proteolytic stability of RT during HIV-1 maturation.


1999 ◽  
Vol 43 (2) ◽  
pp. 259-263 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gadi Borkow ◽  
Dominique Arion ◽  
Mark A. Wainberg ◽  
Michael A. Parniak

ABSTRACT N-[4-Chloro-3-(3-methyl-2-butenyloxy)phenyl]-2-methyl-3-furancarbothioamide (UC781) is an exceptionally potent nonnucleoside inhibitor of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) reverse transcriptase. We found that a 1:1 molar combination of UC781 and 3′-azido-3′-deoxythymidine (AZT) showed high-level synergy in inhibiting the replication of AZT-resistant virus, implying that UC781 can restore antiviral activity to AZT against AZT-resistant HIV-1. Neither the nevirapine plus AZT nor the 2′,5′-bis-O-(t-butyldimethylsilyl)-3′-spiro-5"-(4"-amino-1",2"-oxathiole-2",2"-dioxide plus AZT combinations had this effect. Studies with purified HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (from a wild type and an AZT-resistant mutant) showed that UC781 was a potent inhibitor of the pyrophosphorolytic cleavage of nucleotides from the 3′ end of the DNA polymerization primer, a process that we have proposed to be critical for the phenotypic expression of AZT resistance. Combinations of UC781 plus AZT did not act in synergy to inhibit the replication of either wild-type virus or UC781-resistant HIV-1. Importantly, the time to the development of viral resistance to combinations of UC781 plus AZT is significantly delayed compared to the time to the development of resistance to either drug alone.


2005 ◽  
Vol 49 (11) ◽  
pp. 4546-4554 ◽  
Author(s):  
Reynel Cancio ◽  
Romano Silvestri ◽  
Rino Ragno ◽  
Marino Artico ◽  
Gabriella De Martino ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Indolyl aryl sulfone (IAS) nonnucleoside inhibitors have been shown to potently inhibit the growth of wild-type and drug-resistant human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), but their exact mechanism of action has not been elucidated yet. Here, we describe the mechanism of inhibition of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT) by selected IAS derivatives. Our results showed that, depending on the substitutions introduced in the IAS common pharmacophore, these compounds can be made selective for different enzyme-substrate complexes. Moreover, we showed that the molecular basis for this selectivity was a different association rate of the drug to a particular enzymatic form along the reaction pathway. By comparing the activities of the different compounds against wild-type RT and the nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor-resistant mutant Lys103Asn, it was possible to hypothesize, on the basis of their mechanism of action, a rationale for the design of drugs which could overcome the steric barrier imposed by the Lys103Asn mutation.


1996 ◽  
Vol 40 (6) ◽  
pp. 1454-1466 ◽  
Author(s):  
J Balzarini ◽  
W G Brouwer ◽  
D C Dao ◽  
E M Osika ◽  
E De Clercq

A large variety of carboxanilide and thiocarboxanilide derivatives in which the original oxathiin or aliphatic moieties present in the prototype compounds UC84 and UC38 were replaced by an (un) substituted furanyl, thienyl, phenyl, or pyrrole entity have been evaluated for activity against wild-type human immunodeficiency virus type 1 strain IIIB [HIV-1 (IIIB)] and a series of mutant virus strains derived thereof. The mutant viruses contained either the Leu-100-->Ile, Lys-103-->Asn, Val-106-->Ala, Glu-138-->Lys, Tyr-181-->Cys, or Tyr-188-->Leu mutation in their reverse transcriptase. Several 3-(2-methylfuranyl)- and 3-(2-methylthienyl)-thiocarboxanilide ester, (thio)ether, and oxime ether derivatives showed exquisitely potent antiviral activity against wild-type HIV-1 (50% effective concentration, 0.009 to 0.021 microM). The pentenylethers of the 2-methylfuranyl and 2-methylthienyl derivatives (i.e., 313, N-[4-chloro-3-(3-methyl-2-butenyloxy)phenyl]- 2-methyl-3-furancarbothioamide or UC-781, and 314, N-[4-chloro-3-(3-methyl-2-butenyloxy)phenyl] -2-methyl-3-thiophenecarbothioamide or UC-82) proved virtually equally inhibitory for wild-type and the Ile-100, Ala-106, and Lys-138 mutant virus strains (50% effective concentration, 0.015 to 0.021 microM). Their inhibitory effect against the Asn-103 and Cys-181 reverse transcriptase mutant virus strains was decreased only four- to sevenfold compared with wildtype virus. UC-781 and UC-82 should be considered potential candidate drugs for the treatment of HIV-1-infected individuals.


2005 ◽  
Vol 49 (5) ◽  
pp. 1761-1769 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony J. Smith ◽  
Peter R. Meyer ◽  
Deshratn Asthana ◽  
Margarita R. Ashman ◽  
Walter A. Scott

ABSTRACT Treatment of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-infected patients with 3′-azido-3′-deoxythymidine (AZT) selects for mutant forms of viral reverse transcriptase (RT) with increased ability to remove chain-terminating nucleotides from blocked DNA chains. We tested various cell extracts for the presence of endogenous acceptor substrates for this reaction. Cell extracts incubated with HIV-1 RT and [32P]ddAMP-terminated DNA primer/template gave rise to 32P-labeled adenosine 2′,3′-dideoxyadenosine 5′,5′′′−P1,P4-tetraphosphate (Ap4ddA), ddATP, Gp4ddA, and Ap3ddA, corresponding to the transfer of [32P]ddAMP to ATP, PPi, GTP, and ADP, respectively. Incubation with [32P]AZT monophosphate (AZTMP)-terminated primer/template gave rise to the analogous 32P-labeled AZT derivatives. Based on the rates of formation of the specific excision products, ATP and PPi levels were determined: ATP was present at 1.3 to 2.2 mM in H9 cells, macrophages, and unstimulated CD4+ or CD8+ T cells, while PPi was present at 7 to 15 μM. Under these conditions, the ATP-dependent reaction predominated, and excision by the AZT-resistant mutant RT was more efficient than wild type RT. Activated CD4+ or CD8+ T cells contained 1.4 to 2.7 mM ATP and 55 to 79 μM PPi. These cellular PPi concentrations are lower than previously reported; nonetheless, the PPi-dependent reaction predominated in extracts from activated T cells, and excision by mutant and wild-type RT occurred with similar efficiency. While PPi-dependent excision may contribute to AZT resistance in vivo, it is likely that selection of AZT-resistant mutants occurs primarily in an environment where the ATP-dependent reaction predominates.


2003 ◽  
Vol 47 (9) ◽  
pp. 2951-2957 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miguel Stevens ◽  
Christophe Pannecouque ◽  
Erik De Clercq ◽  
Jan Balzarini

ABSTRACT A new class of pyridine oxide derivatives as inhibitors of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and/or HIV-2 replication in cell culture has been identified. The compounds, which specifically inhibit HIV-1, behave as typical nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs). The most active congener of this group, JPL-133 (UC-B3096), has a 50% effective concentration of 0.05 μg/ml for HIV-1(IIIB) with a selectivity index of approximately 760 in CEM cell cultures. However, the cytostatic activity of most pyridine oxide derivatives highly depended on the nature of the cell line. All compounds, including those pyridine oxide derivatives that inhibit both HIV-1 and HIV-2 replication, select for NNRTI-characteristic mutations in the HIV-1 reverse transcriptase of HIV-infected cell cultures (i.e., Lys103Asn, Val108Ile, Glu138Lys, Tyr181Cys and Tyr188His). These amino acid mutations emerged mostly through transition of guanine to adenine or adenine to guanine in the corresponding codons of the reverse transcriptase (RT) gene. The HIV-1-specific pyridine oxide derivatives lost their antiviral activity against HIV-1 strains containing these mutations in the RT. However, most compounds retained pronounced antiviral potency against virus strains that contained other NNRTI-characteristic RT mutations, such as Leu100Ile and Val179Asp. Furthermore, the complete lack of inhibitory activity of the pyridine oxide derivatives against recombinant HIV-2 RT and partial retention of anti-HIV-1 activity against HIV-1 strains that contain a variety of HIV-1-characteristic mutations suggest that the pyridine oxide derivatives must have a second target of antiviral action independent from HIV-1 RT.


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