Stimulation of the human RAD51 nucleofilament restricts HIV-1 integration in vitro and in infected cells.

Stable HIV-1 replication requires the DNA repair of the integration locus catalyzed by cellular factors. The human RAD51 (hRAD51) protein plays a major role in homologous recombination (HR) DNA repair and was previously shown to interact with HIV-1 integrase (IN) and inhibit its activity. Here we determined the molecular mechanism of inhibition of IN. Our standard in vitro integration assays performed under various conditions promoting or inhibiting hRAD51 activity demonstrated that the formation of an active hRAD51 nucleofilament is required for optimal inhibition involving an IN-DNA complex dissociation mechanism. Furthermore we show that this inhibition mechanism can be promoted in HIV-1-infected cells by chemical stimulation of the endogenous hRAD51 protein. This hRAD51 stimulation induced both an enhancement of the endogenous DNA repair process and the inhibition of the integration step. Elucidation of this molecular mechanism leading to the restriction of viral proliferation paves the way to a new concept of antiretroviral therapy based on the enhancement of endogenous hRAD51 recombination activity and highlights the functional interaction between HIV-1 IN and hRAD51.

Potential antiviral effects of pantethine against SARS-CoV-2.

SARS-CoV-2 interacts with cellular cholesterol during many stages of its replication cycle. Pantethine was reported to reduce total cholesterol levels and fatty acid synthesis and potentially alter different processes that might be involved in the SARS-CoV-2 replication cycle. Here, we explored the potential antiviral effects of pantethine in two in vitro experimental models of SARS-CoV-2 infection, in Vero E6 cells and in Calu-3a cells. Pantethine reduced the infection of cells by SARS-CoV-2 in both preinfection and postinfection treatment regimens. Accordingly, cellular expression of the viral spike and nucleocapsid proteins was substantially reduced, and we observed a significant reduction in viral copy numbers in the supernatant of cells treated with pantethine. In addition, pantethine inhibited the infection-induced increase in TMPRSS2 and HECT E3 ligase expression in infected cells as well as the increase in antiviral interferon-beta response and inflammatory gene expression in Calu-3a cells. Our results demonstrate that pantethine, which is well tolerated in humans, was very effective in controlling SARS-CoV-2 infection and might represent a new therapeutic drug that can be repurposed for the prevention or treatment of COVID-19 and long COVID syndrome.

Structure-analysis of the HIV-1 integrase Y143C/R raltegravir resistance mutation in association with the secondary mutation T97A.

The HIV-1 integrase (IN) mutations Y143C/R are known as raltegravir (RAL) primary resistance mutations. In a previous study (S. Reigadas et al., PLoS One 5:e10311, 2010), we investigated the genetic pathway and the dynamics of emergence of the Y143C/R mutations in three patients failing RAL-containing regimens. In these patients, the Y143C/R mutation was associated with the T97A mutation. The aim of the present biochemical and molecular studies in vitro was to evaluate whether the secondary mutation, T97A, associated with the Y143C/R mutation could increase the level of resistance to RAL and impact IN activities. Site-directed mutagenesis experiments were performed with expression vectors harboring the region of the pol gene coding for IN. With a 3'-end processing assay, the 50% inhibitory concentrations (IC(50)) were 1.2 µM, 1.2 µM, 2.4 µM (fold change [FC], 2), and 20 µM (FC, 16.7) for IN wild type (WT), the IN T97A mutation, the IN Y143C/T97A mutation, and the IN Y143R/T97A mutation, respectively. FCs of 18 and 100 were observed with the strand transfer assay for IN Y143C/T97A and Y143R/T97A mutations, with IC(50) of 0.625 µM and 2.5 µM, respectively. In the strand transfer assay, the IN Y143C or R mutation combined with the secondary mutation T97A severely impaired susceptibility to RAL compared to results with the IN Y143C or R mutation alone. Assays without RAL suggested that the T97A mutation could rescue the catalytic activity which was impaired by the presence of the Y143C/R mutation. The combination of the T97A mutation with the primary RAL resistance mutations Y143C/R strongly reduces the susceptibility to RAL and rescues the catalytic defect due to the Y143C/R mutation. This result indicates that the emergence of the Y143C/R/T97A double-mutation pattern in patients is a signature of a high resistance level.

In vitro initial attachment of HIV-1 integrase to viral ends: control of the DNA specific interaction by the oligomerization state.

HIV-1 integrase (IN) oligomerization and DNA recognition are crucial steps for the subsequent events of the integration reaction. Recent advances described the involvement of stable intermediary complexes including dimers and tetramers in the in vitro integration processes, but the initial attachment events and IN positioning on viral ends are not clearly understood. In order to determine the role of the different IN oligomeric complexes in these early steps, we performed in vitro functional analysis comparing IN preparations having different oligomerization properties. We demonstrate that in vitro IN concerted integration activity on a long DNA substrate containing both specific viral and nonspecific DNA sequences is highly dependent on binding of preformed dimers to viral ends. In addition, we show that IN monomers bound to nonspecific DNA can also fold into functionally different oligomeric complexes displaying nonspecific double-strand DNA break activity in contrast to the well known single strand cut catalyzed by associated IN. Our results imply that the efficient formation of the active integration complex highly requires the early correct positioning of monomeric integrase or the direct binding of preformed dimers on the viral ends. Taken together the data indicates that IN oligomerization controls both the enzyme specificity and activity.

HIV-1 integrase trafficking in S. cerevisiae: a useful model to dissect the microtubule network involvement of viral protein nuclear import.

Intracellular transport of karyophilic cargos comprises translocation to the nuclear envelope and subsequent nuclear import. Small cargos such as isolated proteins can reach the nuclear envelope by diffusion but movement of larger structures depends on active translocation, typically using microtubules. Centripetal transport ends at the perinuclear microtubule organizing centre called the spindle pole body (SPB) in yeast. Previously, we found by two hybrids that the karyophilic lentiviral-encoded integrase (IN) interacts with two yeast microtubule-associated proteins, Dyn2p (dynein light chain protein) and Stu2p, a centrosomal protein (de Soultrait et al., 2002). Thus, to investigate the hinge between cytoplasmic retrograde transport and nuclear import, we decided to analyse HIV-1 IN trafficking in yeast as the model, since each of these biological mechanisms is evolutionarily conserved in eukaryotic cells. Here, we found an accumulation of IN at the SPB in yeast via Stu2p colocalization. Disruption of the microtubule network by nocodazole or IN expression in a dynein 2-deficient yeast strain prevented IN accumulation in the nuclear periphery and additionally inhibited IN transport into the nucleus. By mutagenesis, we showed that trafficking of IN towards the SPB requires the C-terminus of the molecule. Taking our findings together, we proposed a model in which IN nuclear import seems to depend on an essential intermediate step in the SPB. We found that Dyn2p and Stu2p play an important role in driving IN toward MTOC and could optimize nuclear entry of the retroviral enzyme. Our results suggest a new hypothesis in keeping with the current HIV-1 intracellular trafficking model.

GCN2 phosphorylates HIV-1 integrase and decreases HIV-1 replication by limiting viral integration.

GCN2 is a serine/threonine kinase involved in cellular stress response related to amino acid starvation. Previously, we showed that GCN2 interacts with HIV-1 integrase and is activated during HIV-1 infection. Herein, we identified HIV-1 integrase as a previously unknown substrate of GCN2 in vitro with a major site of phosphorylation at residue S255 located in the C-terminal domain of HIV-1 integrase. The underlying mechanism was investigated and it appeared that the integrase active site was required in order for GCN2 to target the integrase residue S255. Moreover, various integrases from other retroviruses (e.g. MLV, ASV) were also recognized as a substrate by GCN2. In cells, HIV-1 lentiviral particles harboring mutation at integrase position 255 were affected in their replication. Preventing phosphorylation resulted in an increase in infectivity that correlated with an increase in viral DNA integration. Infectivity of MLV was also higher in cells knocked-out for GCN2 suggesting a conserved mechanism to control viral replication. Altogether, our data suggest that GCN2 may constitute a general guardian of genome stability by regulating foreign DNA integration and as such be part of the antiviral armamentarium of the cell.

Human immunodeficiency virus type-1 reverse transcriptase copies very short templates: kinetic and crosslinking analysis.

We describe in this article some properties concerning the cDNA elongation activity of human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1) reverse transcriptase (RT). The kinetic parameters of the polymerization reaction catalyzed by HIV-1 RT, using short templates, were studied. Values of Km and Vmax were measured as a function of the oligoadenylate template length: the logarithm of Km increased linearly, with an incremental factor of 2.2, when the template length differs by one nucleotide. Using short templates, olig(A)n (n = 7-14) and primers shorter or longer than the template, HIV-1 reverse transcriptase was able to synthesize polymer products longer than 200 nucleotides. We showed that an oligonucleotide as short as (pA)3 was long enough to serve as template for cDNA synthesis by RT. In the binding of RT to template of different lengths (5 to 14 nucleotides long), two constants were determined differing in each case by a factor of about 10. The three recombinant forms of HIV-1 RT (p66/p51, p66/p66 and p51/p51) were crosslinked to a short template, (pA)14, in the presence of cis-aquahydroxydiamminoplatinum. The efficiency of crosslink of [32P](pA)14 template with each of the subunits of RT correlated well with the affinity of this template to the different forms of RT. In the case of p66/p51, the crosslink occurred mainly with the p66 subunit. These results confirm the important catalytic role of the p66 subunit in the heterodimeric human retroviral polymerase.

DNA aptamers derived from HIV-1 RNase H inhibitors are strong anti-integrase agents.

HIV-1 integrase, the retroviral-encoded enzyme involved in the integration of the retrotranscribed viral genome into the host nuclear DNA, is an attractive and still unexploited target. To date, very few inhibitors of this enzyme with a potential therapeutic value have been described. During the search for new HIV-1 targets, we recently described DNA oligodeoxynucleotide aptamers (ODN 93 and ODN 112) that are strong inhibitors of the RNase H activity associated with HIV-1 reverse transcriptase. The striking structural homology between RNase H and integrase led us to study the effect of the RNase H inhibitors on the integrase. Shorter DNA aptamers derived from ODNs 93 and 112 (ODNs 93del and 112del) were able to inhibit HIV-1 integrase in the nanomolar range. They had G-rich sequences able to form G-quartets stabilized by the presence of K(+). The presence of these ions increased the inhibitory efficiency of these agents dramatically. Inhibition of enzymatic activities by ODN 93del and ODN 112del was observed in a cell-free assay system using a recombinant integrase and HIV-1 replication was abolished in infected human cells. Moreover, cell fusion assays showed that these agents do not block viral cell entry at concentrations where viral replication is stopped.

Cross-linking localization of a HIV-1 reverse transcriptase peptide involved in the binding of primer tRNALys3.

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) reverse transcriptase (RT) initiates the synthesis of DNA from the 3' end of its specific primer, tRNALys3. The regions of tRNALys3 in close contact with RT are well known, while a precise knowledge of the RT regions interacting with tRNALys3 is not yet available. To address this question we cross-linked the heterodimeric p66/p51 RT to tRNALys3 using cis-aquahydroxydiammino-platinum. Ribonucleoprotein complexes of molecular masses higher than the p66 subunit were obtained. After RNase A digestion of the RT-tRNA complex, a labeled oligoribonucleotide (ORN) was mainly found associated to the p66 subunit. This labeled p66-ORN complex was then proteolyzed with Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease. A highly purified radioactive peptide was obtained after two chromatographic purification steps. Its N-terminal sequence corresponded with amino acid residues 241VQPI244. Using the crystallographic structure of HIV-1 RT, this peptide was localized at the beta14-sheet end, near to the hairpin formed by beta12 and beta13-sheets ("primer grip") and the alphaH-helix. The so called "VQPI peptide" is in the border of the thumb and the palm subdomains of the p66 subunit. This study palliates the absence of a three- dimensional structure of the RT-tRNA complex and led to a peptide in interaction with tRNALys3 present in all HIV-1 RT isolates.

Preferential interaction of human immunodeficiency virus reverse transcriptase with two regions of primer tRNA(Lys) as evidenced by footprinting studies and inhibition with synthetic oligoribonucleotides.

Primer tRNA regions involved in the interactions between human immunodeficiency virus reverse transcriptase (HIV RT) and tRNA(Lys) were studied by digestion of primer with pancreatic ribonuclease in the presence or absence of HIV RT. The acceptor stem of tRNA(Lys) is not noticeably protected against nuclease action in the presence of HIV RT, while this enzyme clearly protects part of the anticodon and dihydrouridine loops of tRNA(Lys). The acceptor stem of primer tRNA was digested by RNase A only in the presence of the retroviral enzyme, suggesting a partial destabilization of this region by the HIV RT. Synthetic oligoribonucleotides, corresponding to the anticodon and the dihydrouridine loops, inhibited strongly reverse transcription, confirming the strong interaction of these tRNA regions with the enzyme.

Interaction of primer tRNA(Lys3) with the p51 subunit of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 reverse transcriptase: a possible role in enzyme activation.

In the interaction between HIV-1 RT and tRNA(Lys3) each subunit of the heterodimer interacts with tRNA showing a different affinity: Kd (p66) = 23 nM, Kd (p51) = 140 nM. Preincubation of heterodimeric RT with tRNA, at concentrations similar to that of the Kd value for p51, leads to an increase of the catalytic activity on poly(A)-oligo(dT). These results were compared to those using different tRNA analogs: oxidized tRNA, tRNAs lacking one, two or three nucleotides from the 3'-end, or ribo- and deoxyribonucleotides mimicking the anticodon loop sequence. In all cases, tRNA analogs were weaker activators of HIV-1 RT than natural tRNA. A possible mechanism of RT p66/p51 activation by tRNA and its analogs, mediated through the p51 subunit, is discussed.

Biochemical characterization of the p51 sub-unit of human immunodeficiency virus reverse transcriptase in homo- and heterodimeric recombinant forms of the enzyme.

The biochemical properties of the p51 subunit of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT) were studied in order to understand its role in the heterodimeric form p66/p51 found in virions. A recombinant form of RT, p51/p51, expressed in yeast, was purified and characterized. The enzyme was affinity labeled using a 5' modified oligonucleotide primer, covalently linked, that was further elongated in the presence of a radioactive dNTP precursor. We found that the p51 subunit was labeled in the p51/p51 form, thus reflecting its activity, while this subunit was catalytically silent in the heterodimer, since only the p66 subunit was labeled in the latter recombinant form. Processivity studies showed long-sized products synthesized by p51/p51, as in the case of the other RT forms. The effect of primer tRNA(Lys) on the p51/p51 activity showed a strong inhibitory effect in the absence of KCl, similar to that observed with the p66/p51 form, while the same p51/p51 enzyme was strongly stimulated by tRNA(Lys), like RT p66/p66, when KCl was present in the incubation mixture.

Interactions with tRNA(Lys) induce important structural changes in human immunodeficiency virus reverse transcriptase.

Retroviral RNA-dependent DNA polymerase (reverse transcriptase or RT) uses the 3'OH end of a cellular tRNA as primer to initiate DNA synthesis. Previous work with avian retrovirus has shown that reverse transcriptase is implicated in the selection of cellular virion-encapsidated tRNAs and has shown that the primer tRNA is positioned on the primer binding site near the 5' end of the viral RNA. These mechanisms support the idea that the retroviral polymerase should form complexes with primer tRNA and the specific encapsidated ones. The genomic sequence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) allows the prediction that tRNA(Lys3) is the natural primer. In this article we show, using the mobility shift assay, that recombinant HIV reverse transcriptase is able to form a complex with bovine tRNA(Lys.) By fluorescence studies and alpha-chymotrypsin analysis we have observed a modification of the enzyme conformation when reverse transcriptase is bound to the putative primer tRNA. This structural change is specific for tRNA(Lys) although the retroviral polymerase is able to interact with other tRNAs.

In vitro assays show a dissociation of reverse transcriptase activity and core antigen (p24) production in two HIV-1 isolates from a patient receiving long-term treatment with zidovudine (ZDV).

Two HIV-1 isolates were obtained from a patient receiving long-term treatment with zidovudine (ZDV). The in vitro sensitivity to ZDV triphosphate of the reverse transcriptase (RT) from both isolates appeared to be unchanged compared to that of the LAV-Bru HIV-1 reference strain. When isolates were grown in CEM cells (a T-lymphoblastoid tumor cell line) and their RT activity and core antigen (p24) production were determined, the level of p24 production compared to RT activity was high; in infected CEM cells treated with ZDV, RT activity was at background level while the p24 production was still significant, thus indicating a dissociation of RT activity and core antigen production.

The ribonuclease H activity of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase: further biochemical characterization and search of inhibitors.

A recombinant homodimer p66/p66 of the HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT) was expressed in and purified from a protease-deficient strain of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The RNase H activity associated with the homodimer was biochemically characterized. The effect of cations and the hybrid substrate specificity were studied. Some compounds which have been found to inhibit retroviral replication were tested as potential inhibitors of the retroviral DNA polymerase and RNase H activities. Most of these compounds inhibited preferentially the DNA polymerase activity. On the other hand, only suramin was found to inhibit RNase H more efficiently than DNA polymerase. As in the case of the DNA polymerase activity, the thiol-reacting agent N-ethylmaleimide (NEM) did not affect the RNAse H activity of HIV RT. When the effect of NEM was tested against E coli RNase H, a weak inhibitory effect was detected. Surprisingly, NEM strongly inhibits the same bacterial RNase H in the presence of a recombinant form of HIV RT devoid of nuclease activity. These results strongly suggest an interaction between E coli RNase H and HIV-1 RT.

A new series of pyridinone derivatives as potent non-nucleoside human immunodeficiency virus type 1 specific reverse transcriptase inhibitors.

4-(Arylthio)-pyridin-2(1H)-ones variously substituted in their 3-, 5-, and 6-positions have been synthesized as a new series of 1-[(2-hydroxyethoxy)methyl]-6-(phenylthio)thymine (HEPT)-pyridinone hybrid molecules. Biological studies revealed that some of them show potent HIV-1 specific reverse transcriptase inhibitory properties. Compounds 16 and 7c, the most active ones, inhibit the replication of HIV-1 at 3 and 6 nM, respectively.

Synthesis and antiviral activity of 4-benzyl pyridinone derivatives as potent and selective non-nucleoside human immunodeficiency virus type 1 reverse transcriptase inhibitors.

Several 4-benzyl analogues of 5-ethyl-6-methyl-4-(phenylthio)pyridin-2(1H)-ones were synthesized and evaluated for their anti-HIV-l activities. Key transformations include metalation at the 4-C-position of 5-ethyl-2-methoxy-6-methyl-3-pivaloylaminopyridine (5) and its coupling with benzyl bromide or benzaldehyde derivatives. Biological studies revealed that some of the new 4-benzylpyridinones show potent HIV-1 specific reverse transcriptase inhibitory properties. Compounds 14, 19, and 27, which inhibit the replication of HIV-1 in CEM-SS cells, with IC(50) values ranging from 0.2 to 6 nM are the most active compounds in this series. Biochemical studies showed that compound 27 strongly inhibited the activity of a recombinant HIV-1 RT. Moreover, the infectivity of isolated HIV-1 particles was severely decreased after exposure to compound 27. Although cross resistance is frequently observed between non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors, compound 27 was capable of inhibiting a virus resistant to nevirapine with an IC(50) of 40 nM.

Antiviral activity of 4-benzyl pyridinone derivatives as HIV-1 reverse transcriptase inhibitors.

In this overview, the antiviral properties of the Curie-pyridinone compounds, a new class of non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs) developed as anti-HIV agents, are described. These compounds are hybrids between hydroxyethoxymethyl-phenylthiothymine (HEPT) and Merck pyridinones. Several structure-activity relationships (SAR) studies between HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT) and the Curie-pyridinones are described. The Curie-pyridinones are potent inhibitors of both HIV-1 replication in cell culture and of HIV-1 RT activity in vitro. They are specific to HIV-1 and do not inhibit the replication of HIV-2. The mechanism of inhibition is non-competitive with respect to the natural substrate dGTP. For these reasons, the Curie-pyridinones can be considered as non-nucleoside inhibitors of HIV-1 RT. Moreover, they have the unusual ability to reach the reverse transcription complex inside the extracellular virions and may therefore be useful as retrovirucides. This might lead to the design and synthesis of new drugs able to interact with the retroviral enzyme inside the viral core.

Therapeutic potential of peptide motifs against HIV-1 reverse transcriptase and integrase.

Multiple clinical benefits have been obtained thanks to the combination of drugs targeting several steps of the HIV-1 replication. However, despite such combination therapy, complete eradication of the virus cannot be attained. Moreover, emergence of resistance observed under treatment and the lengthening life expectancy of treated patients highlight the need for new anti-HIV agents. Peptide-based compounds that exhibit anti RT and anti integrase activities were particularly described. Active peptides have been obtained from several ongoing approaches. The study of interaction between viral proteins inside the preintegration complex, and the growing knowledge of interactions between viral proteins and cellular partners, have generated a useful source of data for the development of peptide inhibitors. Recent data were also obtained from the observation that viral enzymes such as RT and integrase are fully active when they are in a dimeric (RT) or oligomeric state. Peptides derived from the interface of dimers are also of interest. The obtention of efficient small molecules as competitive oligomerization inhibitors is problematic, but anyway, improved cellular uptake and chemical modifications that were obtained in the past ten years allowed numerous peptide drugs to reach the clinic. Finally, a new promising class of peptide inhibitors is emerging called "shiftides", which interfere with the ability of IN to adopt an oligomeric active state.

Towards the selection of phosphorothioate aptamers optimizing in vitro selection steps with phosphorothioate nucleotides.

The high affinity of a given nucleic acid for a protein ligand can be used to isolate specific inhibitors of enzymes involved in pathological situations. The latter property is the basis of the SELEX (systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment) technique. Recently, several potent nucleic acids inhibitors of HIV-1 replication have been isolated using the SELEX approach. However, phosphodiester oligodeoxynucleotides (PO-ODNs) were not used as antiviral agents because of their sensitivity to nucleases. Our goal in this work was to explore the possibility of selecting, from a fully substituted phosphorothioate library, oligonucleotides having both a strong affinity for HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT) and nuclease resistance. HIV-1 RT initiates in vivo reverse transcription from the 3' end of a host tRNALys. Although phosphorothioate ODNs (PS-ODNs) have been claimed to bind unspecifically to proteins, we have shown previously that an ODN corresponding to the acceptor stem of tRNALys was able to inhibit specifically HIV-1 replication in HIV-1 infected cells, without showing cytotoxicity up to 10 microM. As the SELEX strategy requires 'in vitro' transcription and reverse transcription of the selected DNA, we have assayed the available PS precursors as a model system by using PS-dNTPs and rNTPs. We have also developed an experimental procedure to optimize the incorporation of four PS-dNTPs during the PCR step of the SELEX approach. In the course of this work, we have showed that the PS-dGTP is a strong inhibitor of thermostable DNA polymerases as well as of HIV-1 RT.