RESUMEN
Early after entry into monocytes, macrophages, dendritic cells, and resting CD4 T cells, HIV encounters a block, limiting reverse transcription (RT) of the incoming viral RNA genome. In this context, dNTP triphosphohydrolase SAM domain and HD domain-containing protein 1 (SAMHD1) has been identified as a restriction factor, lowering the concentration of dNTP substrates to limit RT. The accessory lentiviral protein X (Vpx) proteins from the major simian immunodeficiency virus of rhesus macaque, sooty mangabey, and HIV-2 (SIVsmm/SIVmac/HIV-2) lineage packaged into virions target SAMHD1 for proteasomal degradation, increase intracellular dNTP pools, and facilitate HIV cDNA synthesis. We find that virion-packaged Vpx proteins from a second SIV lineage, SIV of red-capped mangabeys or mandrills (SIVrcm/mnd-2), increased HIV infection in resting CD4 T cells, but not in macrophages, and, unexpectedly, acted in the absence of SAMHD1 degradation, dNTP pool elevation, or changes in SAMHD1 phosphorylation. Vpx rcm/mnd-2 virion incorporation resulted in a dramatic increase of HIV-1 RT intermediates and viral cDNA in infected resting CD4 T cells. These analyses also revealed a barrier limiting HIV-1 infection of resting CD4 T cells at the level of nuclear import. Single amino acid changes in the SAMHD1-degrading Vpx mac239 allowed it to enhance early postentry steps in a Vpx rcm/mnd-2-like fashion. Moreover, Vpx enhanced HIV-1 infection of SAMHD1-deficient resting CD4 T cells of a patient with Aicardi-Goutières syndrome. These results indicate that Vpx, in addition to SAMHD1, overcomes a previously unappreciated restriction for lentiviruses at the level of RT that acts independently of dNTP concentrations and is specific to resting CD4 T cells.
Asunto(s)
Infecciones por VIH/genética , Transcripción Reversa/genética , Proteína 1 que Contiene Dominios SAM y HD/genética , Proteínas Reguladoras y Accesorias Virales/genética , Animales , Linfocitos T CD4-Positivos/virología , Genoma Viral/genética , Infecciones por VIH/virología , VIH-1/genética , VIH-1/patogenicidad , VIH-2/genética , VIH-2/patogenicidad , Interacciones Huésped-Patógeno/genética , Humanos , Macaca mulatta/genética , Macaca mulatta/virología , Monocitos/virología , Proteolisis , ARN Viral/genética , Virión/genética , Virión/patogenicidad , Replicación Viral/genéticaRESUMEN
The nucleoside analog cytarabine (Ara-C) is an essential component of primary and salvage chemotherapy regimens for acute myeloid leukemia (AML). After cellular uptake, Ara-C is converted into its therapeutically active triphosphate metabolite, Ara-CTP, which exerts antileukemic effects, primarily by inhibiting DNA synthesis in proliferating cells. Currently, a substantial fraction of patients with AML fail to respond effectively to Ara-C therapy, and reliable biomarkers for predicting the therapeutic response to Ara-C are lacking. SAMHD1 is a deoxynucleoside triphosphate (dNTP) triphosphohydrolase that cleaves physiological dNTPs into deoxyribonucleosides and inorganic triphosphate. Although it has been postulated that SAMHD1 sensitizes cancer cells to nucleoside-analog derivatives through the depletion of competing dNTPs, we show here that SAMHD1 reduces Ara-C cytotoxicity in AML cells. Mechanistically, dGTP-activated SAMHD1 hydrolyzes Ara-CTP, which results in a drastic reduction of Ara-CTP in leukemic cells. Loss of SAMHD1 activity-through genetic depletion, mutational inactivation of its triphosphohydrolase activity or proteasomal degradation using specialized, virus-like particles-potentiates the cytotoxicity of Ara-C in AML cells. In mouse models of retroviral AML transplantation, as well as in retrospective analyses of adult patients with AML, the response to Ara-C-containing therapy was inversely correlated with SAMHD1 expression. These results identify SAMHD1 as a potential biomarker for the stratification of patients with AML who might best respond to Ara-C-based therapy and as a target for treating Ara-C-refractory AML.