Early steps of retrovirus replicative cycle

During the last two decades, the profusion of HIV research due to the urge to identify new therapeutic targets has led to a wealth of information on the retroviral replication cycle. However, while the late stages of the retrovirus life cycle, consisting of virus replication and egress, have been partly unraveled, the early steps remain largely enigmatic. These early steps consist of a long and perilous journey from the cell surface to the nucleus where the proviral DNA integrates into the host genome. Retroviral particles must bind specifically to their target cells, cross the plasma membrane, reverse-transcribe their RNA genome, while uncoating the cores, find their way to the nuclear membrane and penetrate into the nucleus to finally dock and integrate into the cellular genome. Along this journey, retroviruses hijack the cellular machinery, while at the same time counteracting cellular defenses. Elucidating these mechanisms and identifying which cellular factors are exploited by the retroviruses and which hinder their life cycle, will certainly lead to the discovery of new ways to inhibit viral replication and to improve retroviral vectors for gene transfer. Finally, as proven by many examples in the past, progresses in retrovirology will undoubtedly also provide some priceless insights into cell biology

Implication of TRIMalpha and TRIMCyp in interferon-induced anti-retroviral restriction activities

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>TRIM5α is a restriction factor that interferes with retroviral infections in a species-specific manner in primate cells. Although TRIM5α is constitutively expressed, its expression has been shown to be up-regulated by type I interferon (IFN). Among primates, a particular case exists in owl monkey cells, which express a fusion protein between TRIM5 and cyclophilin A, TRIMCyp, specifically interfering with HIV-1 infection. No studies have been conducted so far concerning the possible induction of TRIMCyp by IFN. We investigated the consequences of IFN treatment on retroviral restriction in diverse primate cells and evaluated the implication of TRIM5α or TRIMCyp in IFN-induced anti-retroviral activities.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>First, we show that human type I IFN can enhance TRIM5α expression in human, African green monkey and macaque cells, as well as TRIMCyp expression in owl monkey cells. In TRIM5α-expressing primate cell lines, type I IFN has little or no effect on HIV-1 infection, whereas it potentates restriction activity against N-MLV in human and African green monkey cells. In contrast, type I IFN treatment of owl monkey cells induces a great enhancement of HIV-1 restriction, as well as a strain-tropism independent restriction of MLV. We were able to demonstrate that TRIM5α is the main mediator of the IFN-induced activity against N-MLV in human and African green monkey cells, whereas TRIMCyp mediates the IFN-induced HIV-1 restriction enhancement in owl monkey cells. In contrast, the type I IFN-induced anti-MLV restriction in owl monkey cells is independent of TRIMCyp expression.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Together, our observations indicate that both TRIM5α and TRIMCyp are implicated in IFN-induced anti-retroviral response in primate cells. Furthermore, we found that type I IFN also induces a TRIMCyp-independent restriction activity specific to MLV in owl monkey cells.</p

Retrovirology: 3 at age 2

Retrovirology announces new editorial board members and reprises progress over the first two years of publishing

Antiviral properties of two trimeric recombinant gp41 proteins

BACKGROUND: As it is the very first step of the HIV replication cycle, HIV entry represents an attractive target for the development of new antiviral drugs. In this context, fusion inhibitors are the third class of anti-HIV drugs to be used for treatment, in combination with nucleoside analogues and antiproteases. But the precise mechanism of HIV fusion mechanism is still unclear. Gp41 ectodomain-derived synthetic peptides represent ideal tools for clarifying this mechanism, in order to design more potent anti-HIV drugs. RESULTS: Two soluble trimeric recombinant gp41 proteins, termed Rgp41B and Rgp41A were designed. Both comprise the N- and C-terminal heptad repeat regions of the ectodomain of HIV-1 gp41, connected by a 7-residue hydrophilic linker, in order to mimic the trimeric fusogenic state of the transmembrane glycoprotein. Both recombinant proteins were found to inhibit HIV-1 entry into target cells in a dose-dependent manner. Rgp41A, the most potent inhibitor, was able to inhibit both X4 and R5 isolates into HeLa cells and primary T lymphocytes. X4 viruses were found to be more susceptible than R5 isolates to inhibition by Rgp41A. In order to elucidate how the trimeric recombinant gp41 protein can interfere with HIV-1 entry into target cells, we further investigated its mode of action. Rgp41A was able to bind gp120 but did not induce gp120-gp41 dissociation. Furthermore, this inhibitor could also interfere with a late step of the fusion process, following the mixing of lipids. CONCLUSION: Taken together, our results suggest that Rgp41A can bind to gp120 and also interfere with a late event of the fusion process. Interestingly, Rgp41A can block membrane fusion without preventing lipid mixing. Although further work will be required to fully understand its mode of action, our results already suggest that Rgp41A can interfere with multiple steps of the HIV entry process

The HIV-2 Vpx protein usurps the Cul4A-DDB1-DCAF1 ubiquitin ligase to overcome a post-entry block in macrophage infection

International audiencen.

Langerin (CD207) represents a novel interferon-stimulated gene in Langerhans cells

Interferons (IFNs) are “warning signal” cytokines released upon pathogen sensing. IFNs control the expression of interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs), which are often crucial to restrict viral infections and establish a cellular antiviral state.1,2 Langerin (CD207), a well-known surface receptor on Langerhans cells (LC), belongs to the C-type lectin receptor (CLR) family and constitutes a major pathogen binding receptor able to regulate both innate and adaptive immune responses.3,4 Importantly, this CLR was reported as an antiviral receptor, notably able to bind and internalize incoming human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) virions in Birbeck granules for degradation.5,6 However, langerin was never viewed as a contributor to the interferon-mediated antiviral immune response. We now provide evidence that langerin is an ISG showing upregulated expression upon IFN treatment in monocyte-derived and ex vivo human skin-isolated LCs

Porcine endogenous retroviruses PERV A and A/C recombinant are insensitive to a range of divergent mammalian TRIM5 proteins including human TRIM5

The potential risk of cross-species transmission of porcine endogenous retroviruses (PERV) to humans has slowed the development of xenotransplantation, using pigs as organ donors. Here, we show that PERVs are insensitive to restriction by divergent TRIM5{alpha} molecules despite the fact that they strongly restrict a variety of divergent lentiviruses. We also show that the human PERV A/C recombinant clone 14/220 reverse transcribes with increased efficiency in human cells, leading to significantly higher infectivity. We conclude that xenotransplantation studies should consider the danger of highly infectious TRIM5{alpha}-insensitive human-tropic PERV recombinants