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Aksenova M, Sybrandt J, Cui B, Sikirzhytski V, Ji H, Odhiambo D, Lucius MD, Turner JR, Broude E, Peña E, Lizarraga S, Zhu J, Safro I, Wyatt MD, Shtutman M. Inhibition of the Dead Box RNA Helicase 3 Prevents HIV-1 Tat and Cocaine-Induced Neurotoxicity by Targeting Microglia Activation. J Neuroimmune Pharmacol 2020; 15:209-223. [PMID: 31802418 PMCID: PMC8048136 DOI: 10.1007/s11481-019-09885-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2019] [Accepted: 10/01/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
HIV-1 Associated Neurocognitive Disorder (HAND) is a common and clinically detrimental complication of HIV infection. Viral proteins, including Tat, released from infected cells, cause neuronal toxicity. Substance abuse in HIV-infected patients greatly influences the severity of neuronal damage. To repurpose small molecule inhibitors for anti-HAND therapy, we employed MOLIERE, an AI-based literature mining system that we developed. All human genes were analyzed and prioritized by MOLIERE to find previously unknown targets connected to HAND. From the identified high priority genes, we narrowed the list to those with known small molecule ligands developed for other applications and lacking systemic toxicity in animal models. To validate the AI-based process, the selective small molecule inhibitor of DDX3 helicase activity, RK-33, was chosen and tested for neuroprotective activity. The compound, previously developed for cancer treatment, was tested for the prevention of combined neurotoxicity of HIV Tat and cocaine. Rodent cortical cultures were treated with 6 or 60 ng/ml of HIV Tat and 10 or 25 μM of cocaine, which caused substantial toxicity. RK-33 at doses as low as 1 μM greatly reduced the neurotoxicity of Tat and cocaine. Transcriptome analysis showed that most Tat-activated transcripts are microglia-specific genes and that RK-33 blocks their activation. Treatment with RK-33 inhibits the Tat and cocaine-dependent increase in the number and size of microglia and the proinflammatory cytokines IL-6, TNF-α, MCP-1/CCL2, MIP-2, IL-1α and IL-1β. These findings reveal that inhibition of DDX3 may have the potential to treat not only HAND but other neurodegenerative diseases. Graphical Abstract RK-33, selective inhibitor of Dead Box RNA helicase 3 (DDX3) protects neurons from combined Tat and cocaine neurotoxicity by inhibition of microglia activation and production of proinflammatory cytokines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Aksenova
- Department of Drug Discovery and Biomedical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of South Carolina, 715 Sumter st, Columbia, SC, 29208, USA
| | - Justin Sybrandt
- School of Computing, Clemson University, 228 McAdams Hall, Clemson, SC, USA
| | - Biyun Cui
- Department of Drug Discovery and Biomedical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of South Carolina, 715 Sumter st, Columbia, SC, 29208, USA
| | - Vitali Sikirzhytski
- Department of Drug Discovery and Biomedical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of South Carolina, 715 Sumter st, Columbia, SC, 29208, USA
| | - Hao Ji
- Department of Drug Discovery and Biomedical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of South Carolina, 715 Sumter st, Columbia, SC, 29208, USA
| | - Diana Odhiambo
- Department of Drug Discovery and Biomedical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of South Carolina, 715 Sumter st, Columbia, SC, 29208, USA
| | - Matthew D Lucius
- Department of Drug Discovery and Biomedical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of South Carolina, 715 Sumter st, Columbia, SC, 29208, USA
| | - Jill R Turner
- Department of Drug Discovery and Biomedical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of South Carolina, 715 Sumter st, Columbia, SC, 29208, USA
- School of Computing, Clemson University, 228 McAdams Hall, Clemson, SC, USA
| | - Eugenia Broude
- Department of Drug Discovery and Biomedical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of South Carolina, 715 Sumter st, Columbia, SC, 29208, USA
| | - Edsel Peña
- Department of Statistics, College of Arts and Sciences, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Sofia Lizarraga
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Jun Zhu
- Department of Drug Discovery and Biomedical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of South Carolina, 715 Sumter st, Columbia, SC, 29208, USA
| | - Ilya Safro
- School of Computing, Clemson University, 228 McAdams Hall, Clemson, SC, USA.
| | - Michael D Wyatt
- Department of Drug Discovery and Biomedical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of South Carolina, 715 Sumter st, Columbia, SC, 29208, USA
| | - Michael Shtutman
- Department of Drug Discovery and Biomedical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of South Carolina, 715 Sumter st, Columbia, SC, 29208, USA.
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Reeve AB, Patel K, Pearce NC, Augustus KV, Domingues HG, O'Neil SP, Novembre FJ. Reduced genetic diversity in lymphoid and central nervous system tissues and selection-induced tissue-specific compartmentalization of neuropathogenic SIVsmmFGb during acute infection. AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses 2009; 25:583-601. [PMID: 19500015 PMCID: PMC2853841 DOI: 10.1089/aid.2008.0240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The simian lentivirus strain SIVsmmFGb is a viral swarm population inducing neuropathology in over 90% of infected pigtailed macaques and serves as a reliable model for HIV neuropathogenesis. However, little is understood about the genetic diversity of this virus, how said diversity influences the initial seeding of the central nervous system and lymph nodes, or whether the virus forms distinct genetic compartments between tissues during acute infection. In this study, we establish that our SIVsmmFGb stock virus contains four genetically distinct envelope V1 region groups, three distinct integrase groups, and two Nef groups. We demonstrate that initial central nervous system and lymph node seeding reduces envelope V1 and integrase genetic diversity but has a variable effect on Nef diversity. SIVsmmFGb envelope V1 region genes from the basal ganglia, cerebellum, and hippocampus form distinct genetic compartments from each other, the midfrontal cortex, and the lymph nodes. Basal ganglia, cerebellum, hippocampus, and midfrontal cortex-derived nef genes all form distinct genetic compartments from each other, as well as from the lymph nodes. We also find basal ganglia, hippocampus, and midfrontal cortex-derived integrase sequences forming distinct compartments from both of the lymph nodes and that the hippocampus and midfrontal cortex form separate compartments from the cerebellum, while the axillary and mesenteric lymph nodes compartmentalize separately from each other. Compartmentalization of the envelope V1 genes resulted from positive selection, and compartmentalization of the nef and integrase genes from negative selection. These results indicate restrictions on virus genetic diversity during initial tissue seeding in neuropathogenic SIV infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron B. Reeve
- Division of Microbiology and Immunology, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Kalpana Patel
- Division of Microbiology and Immunology, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Nicholas C. Pearce
- Division of Microbiology and Immunology, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Katherine V. Augustus
- Division of Microbiology and Immunology, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Heber G. Domingues
- Division of Comparative Pathology, New England Primate Research Center, Harvard Medical School, Southborough, Massachusetts
| | - Shawn P. O'Neil
- Division of Comparative Pathology, New England Primate Research Center, Harvard Medical School, Southborough, Massachusetts
| | - Francis J. Novembre
- Division of Microbiology and Immunology, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, Georgia
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
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