Determinant of HIV-1 mutational escape from cytotoxic T lymphocytes.

CD8+ class I-restricted cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) usually incompletely suppress HIV-1 in vivo, and while analogous partial suppression induces antiretroviral drug-resistance mutations, epitope escape mutations are inconsistently observed. However, escape mutation depends on the net balance of selective pressure and mutational fitness costs, which are poorly understood and difficult to study in vivo. Here we used a controlled in vitro system to evaluate the ability of HIV-1 to escape from CTL clones, finding that virus replicating under selective pressure rapidly can develop phenotypic resistance associated with genotypic changes. Escape varied between clones recognizing the same Gag epitope or different Gag and RT epitopes, indicating the influence of the T cell receptor on pressure and fitness costs. Gag and RT escape mutations were monoclonal intra-epitope substitutions, indicating limitation by fitness constraints in structural proteins. In contrast, escape from Nef-specific CTL was more rapid and consistent, marked by a polyclonal mixture of epitope point mutations and upstream frameshifts. We conclude that incomplete viral suppression by CTL can result in rapid emergence of immune escape, but the likelihood is strongly determined by factors influencing the fitness costs of the particular epitope targeted and the ability of responding CTL to recognize specific epitope variants

Determinants of HIV-1 Mutational Escape From Cytotoxic T Lymphocytes

CD8+ class I–restricted cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) usually incompletely suppress HIV-1 in vivo, and while analogous partial suppression induces antiretroviral drug-resistance mutations, epitope escape mutations are inconsistently observed. However, escape mutation depends on the net balance of selective pressure and mutational fitness costs, which are poorly understood and difficult to study in vivo. Here we used a controlled in vitro system to evaluate the ability of HIV-1 to escape from CTL clones, finding that virus replicating under selective pressure rapidly can develop phenotypic resistance associated with genotypic changes. Escape varied between clones recognizing the same Gag epitope or different Gag and RT epitopes, indicating the influence of the T cell receptor on pressure and fitness costs. Gag and RT escape mutations were monoclonal intra-epitope substitutions, indicating limitation by fitness constraints in structural proteins. In contrast, escape from Nef-specific CTL was more rapid and consistent, marked by a polyclonal mixture of epitope point mutations and upstream frameshifts. We conclude that incomplete viral suppression by CTL can result in rapid emergence of immune escape, but the likelihood is strongly determined by factors influencing the fitness costs of the particular epitope targeted and the ability of responding CTL to recognize specific epitope variants

Human B-cell Ontogeny in Humanized NOD/SCID γcnull^{null} Mice Generates a Diverse Yet Auto/Poly- and HIV-1 Reactive Antibody Repertoire

Characterization of the human antibody (Ab) repertoire in mouse models of the human immune system is essential to establish their relevance in translational studies. Single human B-cells were sorted from bone marrow and periphery of humanized NOD/SCID γc$^{null}$ mice at 8–10 months post-engraftment with human cord blood-derived CD34$^+$ stem cells. Human immunoglobulin variable heavy (V$_H$) and kappa (V$_κ$) genes were amplified, cognate V$_H$-V$_κ$ gene-pairs assembled as single-chain variable fragment-Fc antibodies (scFvFcs) and functional studies performed. Although overall distribution of V$_H$ genes approximated the normal human Ab repertoire, analysis of the V$_H$-third complementarity determining regions (H-CDR3) in the mature B-cell subset demonstrated an increase in length and positive charges suggesting autoimmune characteristics. Additionally, >70% of Vκ sequences utilized V$_κ$4-1, a germline gene associated with autoimmunity. The mature B-cell subset-derived scFvFcs displayed the highest frequency of autoreactivity and polyspecificity, suggesting defects in checkpoint control mechanisms. Furthermore, these scFvFcs demonstrated binding to recombinant HIV envelope corroborating previous observations of poly/autoreactivity in anti-HIVgp140 antibodies. These data lend support to the hypothesis that anti-HIV BnAbs may be derived from auto/polyspecific Abs that escaped immune elimination and that the hNSG mouse could provide a new experimental platform for studying the origin of anti-HIV neutralizing Ab responses

Regulation of Apobec3F and Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Vif by Vif-Cul5-ElonB/C E3 Ubiquitin Ligase

The human cytidine deaminase Apobec3F (h-A3F), a protein related to the previously recognized antiviral factor Apobec3G (h-A3G), has antiviral activity against human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) that is suppressed by the viral protein Vif. The mechanism of HIV-1 Vif-mediated suppression of h-A3F is not fully understood. Here, we demonstrate that while h-A3F, like h-A3G, was able to suppress primate lentiviruses other than HIV-1 (simian immunodeficiency virus from African green monkeys [SIVagm] and Rhesus macaques [SIVmac]), the interaction between Vif proteins and h-A3F appeared to differ from that with h-A3G. H-A3F showed no change in its species specificity against HIV-1 or SIVagm Vif when a negatively charged amino acid was replaced with a lysine at position 128, a residue critical for h-A3G recognition by HIV-1 Vif. However, HIV-1 Vif, but not SIVagm Vif, was able to bind h-A3F and induce its polyubiquitination and degradation through the Cul5-containing E3 ubiquitin ligase. Interference with Cul5-E3 ligase function by depletion of Cul5, through RNA interference or overexpression of Cul5 mutants, blocked the ability of HIV-1 Vif to suppress h-A3F. A BC-box mutant of HIV-1 Vif that failed to recruit Cul5-E3 ligase but was still able to interact with h-A3F failed to suppress h-A3F. Interestingly, interference with Cul5-E3 ligase function or overexpression of h-A3F or h-A3G also increased the stability of HIV-1 Vif, suggesting that like the substrate molecules h-A3F and h-A3G, the substrate receptor protein Vif is itself also regulated by Cul5-E3 ligase. Our results indicate that Cul5-E3 ligase appears to be a common pathway hijacked by HIV-1 Vif to defeat both h-A3F and h-A3G. Developing inhibitors to disrupt the interaction between Vif and Cul5-E3 ligase could be therapeutically useful, allowing multiple host antiviral factors to suppress HIV-1

Differential Inhibition of Long Interspersed Element 1 by APOBEC3 Does Not Correlate with High-Molecular-Mass-Complex Formation or P-Body Association▿

The human cytidine deaminase APOBEC3G (A3G) and other APOBEC3 proteins exhibit differential inhibitory activities against diverse endogenous retroelements and retroviruses, including Vif-deficient human immunodeficiency virus type 1. The potential inhibitory activity of human APOBEC proteins against long interspersed element 1 (LINE-1) has not been fully evaluated. Here, we demonstrate inhibition of LINE-1 by multiple human APOBEC3 cytidine deaminases, including previously unreported activity for A3DE and A3G. More ancient members of APOBEC, cytidine deaminases AID and APOBEC2, had no detectable activity against LINE-1. A3A, which did not form high-molecular-mass (HMM) complexes and interacted poorly with P bodies, was the most potent inhibitor of LINE-1. A3A specifically recognizes LINE-1 RNA but not the other cellular RNAs tested. However, in the presence of LINE-1, A3A became associated with HMM complexes containing LINE-1 RNA. The ability of A3A to recognize LINE-1 RNA required its catalytic domain and was important for its LINE-1 suppression. Although the mechanism of LINE-1 restriction did not seem to involve DNA editing, A3A inhibited the accumulation of nascent LINE-1 DNA, suggesting interference with LINE-1 reverse transcription and/or integration or intracellular movement of LINE-1 ribonucleoprotein. Thus, association with P bodies or cellular HMM complexes could not predict the potency of APOBEC3 anti-LINE-1 activities. The catalytic domain of APOBEC3 proteins may be important for proper folding and target factors such as RNA or protein interaction in addition to cytidine deamination

7SL RNA Mediates Virion Packaging of the Antiviral Cytidine Deaminase APOBEC3G▿

Cytidine deaminase APOBEC3G (A3G) has broad antiviral activity against diverse retroviruses and/or retrotransposons, and its antiviral functions are believed to rely on its encapsidation into virions in an RNA-dependent fashion. However, the cofactors of A3G virion packaging have not yet been identified. We demonstrate here that A3G selectively interacts with certain polymerase III (Pol III)-derived RNAs, including Y3 and 7SL RNAs. Among A3G-binding Pol III-derived RNAs, 7SL RNA was preferentially packaged into human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) particles. Efficient packaging of 7SL RNA, as well as A3G, was mediated by the RNA-binding nucleocapsid domain of HIV-1 Gag. A3G mutants that had reduced 7SL RNA binding but maintained wild-type levels of mRNA and tRNA binding were packaged poorly and had impaired antiviral activity. Reducing 7SL RNA packaging by overexpression of SRP19 proteins inhibited 7SL RNA and A3G virion packaging and impaired its antiviral function. Thus, 7SL RNA that is encapsidated into diverse retroviruses is a key cofactor of the antiviral A3G. This selective interaction of A3G with certain Pol III-derived RNAs raises the question of whether A3G and its cofactors may have as-yet-unidentified cellular functions