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Volcic M, Wiesmüller L, Kirchhoff F. Small but Highly Versatile: The Viral Accessory Protein Vpu. Annu Rev Virol 2023; 10:243-259. [PMID: 37406340 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-virology-111821-100816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/07/2023]
Abstract
Human and simian immunodeficiency viruses (HIVs and SIVs, respectively) encode several small proteins (Vif, Vpr, Nef, Vpu, and Vpx) that are called accessory because they are not generally required for viral replication in cell culture. However, they play complex and important roles for viral immune evasion and spread in vivo. Here, we discuss the diverse functions and the relevance of the viral protein U (Vpu) that is expressed from a bicistronic RNA during the late stage of the viral replication cycle and found only in HIV-1 and closely related SIVs. It is well established that Vpu counteracts the restriction factor tetherin, mediates degradation of the primary viral CD4 receptors, and inhibits activation of the transcription factor nuclear factor kappa B. Recent studies identified additional activities and provided new insights into the sophisticated mechanisms by which Vpu enhances and prolongs the release of fully infectious viral particles. In addition, it has been shown that Vpu prevents superinfection not only by degrading CD4 but also by modulating DNA repair mechanisms to promote degradation of nuclear viral complementary DNA in cells that are already productively infected.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meta Volcic
- Institute of Molecular Virology, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany;
| | - Lisa Wiesmüller
- Division of Gynecological Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Frank Kirchhoff
- Institute of Molecular Virology, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany;
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2
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Russell RM, Bibollet-Ruche F, Liu W, Sherrill-Mix S, Li Y, Connell J, Loy DE, Trimboli S, Smith AG, Avitto AN, Gondim MVP, Plenderleith LJ, Wetzel KS, Collman RG, Ayouba A, Esteban A, Peeters M, Kohler WJ, Miller RA, François-Souquiere S, Switzer WM, Hirsch VM, Marx PA, Piel AK, Stewart FA, Georgiev AV, Sommer V, Bertolani P, Hart JA, Hart TB, Shaw GM, Sharp PM, Hahn BH. CD4 receptor diversity represents an ancient protection mechanism against primate lentiviruses. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:e2025914118. [PMID: 33771926 PMCID: PMC8020793 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2025914118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Infection with human and simian immunodeficiency viruses (HIV/SIV) requires binding of the viral envelope glycoprotein (Env) to the host protein CD4 on the surface of immune cells. Although invariant in humans, the Env binding domain of the chimpanzee CD4 is highly polymorphic, with nine coding variants circulating in wild populations. Here, we show that within-species CD4 diversity is not unique to chimpanzees but found in many African primate species. Characterizing the outermost (D1) domain of the CD4 protein in over 500 monkeys and apes, we found polymorphic residues in 24 of 29 primate species, with as many as 11 different coding variants identified within a single species. D1 domain amino acid replacements affected SIV Env-mediated cell entry in a single-round infection assay, restricting infection in a strain- and allele-specific fashion. Several identical CD4 polymorphisms, including the addition of N-linked glycosylation sites, were found in primate species from different genera, providing striking examples of parallel evolution. Moreover, seven different guenons (Cercopithecus spp.) shared multiple distinct D1 domain variants, pointing to long-term trans-specific polymorphism. These data indicate that the HIV/SIV Env binding region of the primate CD4 protein is highly variable, both within and between species, and suggest that this diversity has been maintained by balancing selection for millions of years, at least in part to confer protection against primate lentiviruses. Although long-term SIV-infected species have evolved specific mechanisms to avoid disease progression, primate lentiviruses are intrinsically pathogenic and have left their mark on the host genome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronnie M Russell
- Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
- Department of Microbiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | | | - Weimin Liu
- Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Scott Sherrill-Mix
- Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
- Department of Microbiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Yingying Li
- Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Jesse Connell
- Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Dorothy E Loy
- Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
- Department of Microbiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Stephanie Trimboli
- Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
- Department of Microbiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Andrew G Smith
- Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Alexa N Avitto
- Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Marcos V P Gondim
- Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Lindsey J Plenderleith
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, University of Edinburgh, EH9 3FL Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- Centre for Immunity, Infection, and Evolution, University of Edinburgh, EH9 3FL Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Katherine S Wetzel
- Department of Microbiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Ronald G Collman
- Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
- Department of Microbiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Ahidjo Ayouba
- Recherche Translationnelle Appliquée au VIH et aux Maladies Infectieuses, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, University of Montpellier, INSERM, 34090 Montpellier, France
| | - Amandine Esteban
- Recherche Translationnelle Appliquée au VIH et aux Maladies Infectieuses, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, University of Montpellier, INSERM, 34090 Montpellier, France
| | - Martine Peeters
- Recherche Translationnelle Appliquée au VIH et aux Maladies Infectieuses, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, University of Montpellier, INSERM, 34090 Montpellier, France
| | - William J Kohler
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
| | - Richard A Miller
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
| | | | - William M Switzer
- Laboratory Branch, Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30329
| | - Vanessa M Hirsch
- Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892
| | - Preston A Marx
- Department of Tropical Medicine, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70118
- Division of Microbiology, Tulane National Primate Research Center, Covington, LA 70433
| | - Alex K Piel
- Department of Anthropology, University College London, WC1H 0BW London, United Kingdom
| | - Fiona A Stewart
- Department of Anthropology, University College London, WC1H 0BW London, United Kingdom
- School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, L3 3AF Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Alexander V Georgiev
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138
- School of Biological Sciences, Bangor University, LL57 2UW Bangor, United Kingdom
| | - Volker Sommer
- Department of Anthropology, University College London, WC1H 0BW London, United Kingdom
| | - Paco Bertolani
- Leverhulme Centre for Human Evolutionary Studies, University of Cambridge, CB2 1QH Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - John A Hart
- Lukuru Wildlife Research Foundation, Tshuapa-Lomami-Lualaba Project, BP 2012, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | - Terese B Hart
- Lukuru Wildlife Research Foundation, Tshuapa-Lomami-Lualaba Project, BP 2012, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | - George M Shaw
- Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
- Department of Microbiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Paul M Sharp
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, University of Edinburgh, EH9 3FL Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- Centre for Immunity, Infection, and Evolution, University of Edinburgh, EH9 3FL Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Beatrice H Hahn
- Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104;
- Department of Microbiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
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3
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Joas S, Sauermann U, Roshani B, Klippert A, Daskalaki M, Mätz-Rensing K, Stolte-Leeb N, Heigele A, Tharp GK, Gupta PM, Nelson S, Bosinger S, Parodi L, Giavedoni L, Silvestri G, Sauter D, Stahl-Hennig C, Kirchhoff F. Nef-Mediated CD3-TCR Downmodulation Dampens Acute Inflammation and Promotes SIV Immune Evasion. Cell Rep 2021; 30:2261-2274.e7. [PMID: 32075764 PMCID: PMC7052273 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.01.069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2019] [Revised: 12/10/2019] [Accepted: 01/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The inability of Nef to downmodulate the CD3-T cell receptor (TCR) complex distinguishes HIV-1 from other primate lentiviruses and may contribute to its high virulence. However, the role of this Nef function in virus-mediated immune activation and pathogenicity remains speculative. Here, we selectively disrupted this Nef activity in SIVmac239 and analyzed the consequences for the virological, immunological, and clinical outcome of infection in rhesus macaques. The inability to downmodulate CD3-TCR does not impair viral replication during acute infection but is associated with increased immune activation and antiviral gene expression. Subsequent early reversion in three of six animals suggests strong selective pressure for this Nef function and is associated with high viral loads and progression to simian AIDS. In the absence of reversions, however, viral replication and the clinical course of infection are attenuated. Thus, Nef-mediated downmodulation of CD3 dampens the inflammatory response to simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) infection and seems critical for efficient viral immune evasion. HIV-1 lacks the CD3 downmodulation function of Nef that is otherwise conserved in primate lentiviruses. Joas et al. disrupted this Nef activity in SIVmac239 and show that Nef-mediated downmodulation of CD3 dampens inflammatory responses to SIV. This promotes effective immune evasion and maintenance of high viral loads in infected rhesus macaques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Joas
- Institute of Molecular Virology - Ulm University Medical Center, Meyerhofstraße 1, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | | | - Berit Roshani
- German Primate Center, Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | | | - Maria Daskalaki
- German Primate Center, Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | | | | | - Anke Heigele
- Institute of Molecular Virology - Ulm University Medical Center, Meyerhofstraße 1, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Gregory K Tharp
- Yerkes Primate Research Center, Emory Vaccine Center, and Department of Pathology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Prachi Mehrotra Gupta
- Yerkes Primate Research Center, Emory Vaccine Center, and Department of Pathology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Sydney Nelson
- Yerkes Primate Research Center, Emory Vaccine Center, and Department of Pathology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Steven Bosinger
- Yerkes Primate Research Center, Emory Vaccine Center, and Department of Pathology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Laura Parodi
- Host-Pathogen Interactions Program, Southwest National Primate Research Center, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Luis Giavedoni
- Host-Pathogen Interactions Program, Southwest National Primate Research Center, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Guido Silvestri
- Yerkes Primate Research Center, Emory Vaccine Center, and Department of Pathology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Daniel Sauter
- Institute of Molecular Virology - Ulm University Medical Center, Meyerhofstraße 1, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | | | - Frank Kirchhoff
- Institute of Molecular Virology - Ulm University Medical Center, Meyerhofstraße 1, 89081 Ulm, Germany.
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4
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Kmiec D, Nchioua R, Sherrill-Mix S, Stürzel CM, Heusinger E, Braun E, Gondim MVP, Hotter D, Sparrer KMJ, Hahn BH, Sauter D, Kirchhoff F. CpG Frequency in the 5' Third of the env Gene Determines Sensitivity of Primary HIV-1 Strains to the Zinc-Finger Antiviral Protein. mBio 2020; 11:e02903-19. [PMID: 31937644 PMCID: PMC6960287 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02903-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2019] [Accepted: 11/27/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
CpG dinucleotide suppression has been reported to allow HIV-1 to evade inhibition by the zinc-finger antiviral protein (ZAP). Here, we show that primate lentiviruses display marked differences in CpG frequencies across their genome, ranging from 0.44% in simian immunodeficiency virus SIVwrc from Western red colobus to 2.3% in SIVmon infecting mona monkeys. Moreover, functional analyses of a large panel of human and simian immunodeficiency viruses revealed that the magnitude of CpG suppression does not correlate with their susceptibility to ZAP. However, we found that the number of CpG dinucleotides within a region of ∼700 bases at the 5' end of the env gene determines ZAP sensitivity of primary HIV-1 strains but not of HIV-2. Increased numbers of CpGs in this region were associated with reduced env mRNA expression and viral protein production. ZAP sensitivity profiles of chimeric simian-human immunodeficiency viruses (SHIVs) expressing different HIV-1 env genes were highly similar to those of the corresponding HIV-1 strains. The frequency of CpGs in the identified env region correlated with differences in clinical progression rates. Thus, the CpG frequency in a specific part of env, rather than the overall genomic CpG content, governs the susceptibility of HIV-1 to ZAP and might affect viral pathogenicity in vivoIMPORTANCE Evasion of the zinc-finger antiviral protein (ZAP) may drive CpG dinucleotide suppression in HIV-1 and many other viral pathogens but the viral determinants of ZAP sensitivity are poorly defined. Here, we examined CpG suppression and ZAP sensitivity in a large number of primate lentiviruses and demonstrate that their genomic frequency of CpGs varies substantially and does not correlate with ZAP sensitivity. We further show that the number of CpG residues in a defined region at the 5' end of the env gene together with structural features plays a key role in HIV-1 susceptibility to ZAP and correlates with differences in clinical progression rates in HIV-1-infected individuals. Our identification of a specific part of env as a major determinant of HIV-1 susceptibility to ZAP restriction provides a basis for future studies of the underlying inhibitory mechanisms and their potential relevance in the pathogenesis of AIDS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorota Kmiec
- Institute of Molecular Virology, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Rayhane Nchioua
- Institute of Molecular Virology, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Scott Sherrill-Mix
- Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Microbiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Christina M Stürzel
- Institute of Molecular Virology, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Elena Heusinger
- Institute of Molecular Virology, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Elisabeth Braun
- Institute of Molecular Virology, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Marcos V P Gondim
- Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Microbiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Dominik Hotter
- Institute of Molecular Virology, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | | | - Beatrice H Hahn
- Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Microbiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Daniel Sauter
- Institute of Molecular Virology, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Frank Kirchhoff
- Institute of Molecular Virology, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
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5
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Abstract
HIV, the causative agent of AIDS, has a complex evolutionary history involving several cross-species transmissions and recombination events as well as changes in the repertoire and function of its accessory genes. Understanding these events and the adaptations to new host species provides key insights into innate defense mechanisms, viral dependencies on cellular factors, and prerequisites for the emergence of the AIDS pandemic. In addition, understanding the factors and adaptations required for the spread of HIV in the human population helps to better assess the risk of future lentiviral zoonoses and provides clues to how improved control of viral replication can be achieved. Here, we summarize our current knowledge on viral features and adaptations preceding the AIDS pandemic. We aim at providing a viral point of view, focusing on known key hurdles of each cross-species transmission and the mechanisms that HIV and its simian precursors evolved to overcome them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Sauter
- Institute of Molecular Virology, Ulm University Medical Centre, Ulm 89081, Germany
| | - Frank Kirchhoff
- Institute of Molecular Virology, Ulm University Medical Centre, Ulm 89081, Germany.
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6
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Wetzel KS, Yi Y, Yadav A, Bauer AM, Bello EA, Romero DC, Bibollet-Ruche F, Hahn BH, Paiardini M, Silvestri G, Peeters M, Collman RG. Loss of CXCR6 coreceptor usage characterizes pathogenic lentiviruses. PLoS Pathog 2018; 14:e1007003. [PMID: 29659623 PMCID: PMC5919676 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1007003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2017] [Revised: 04/26/2018] [Accepted: 04/02/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Pandemic HIV-1 originated from the cross-species transmission of SIVcpz, which infects chimpanzees, while SIVcpz itself emerged following the cross-species transmission and recombination of monkey SIVs, with env contributed by the SIVgsn/mus/mon lineage that infects greater spot-nosed, mustached and mona monkeys. SIVcpz and HIV-1 are pathogenic in their respective hosts, while the phenotype of their SIVgsn/mus/mon ancestors is unknown. However, two well-studied SIV infected natural hosts, sooty mangabeys (SMs) and African green monkeys (AGMs), typically remain healthy despite high viral loads; these species express low levels of the canonical coreceptor CCR5, and recent work shows that CXCR6 is a major coreceptor for SIV in these hosts. It is not known what coreceptors were used by the precursors of SIVcpz, whether coreceptor use changed during emergence of the SIVcpz/HIV-1 lineage, and what T cell subsets express CXCR6 in natural hosts. Using species-matched coreceptors and CD4, we show here that SIVcpz uses only CCR5 for entry and, like HIV-1, cannot use CXCR6. In contrast, SIVmus efficiently uses both CXCR6 and CCR5. Coreceptor selectivity was determined by Env, with CXCR6 use abrogated by Pro326 in the V3 crown, which is absent in monkey SIVs but highly conserved in SIVcpz/HIV-1. To characterize which cells express CXCR6, we generated a novel antibody that recognizes CXCR6 of multiple primate species. Testing lymphocytes from SM, the best-studied natural host, we found that CXCR6 is restricted to CD4+ effector memory cells, and is expressed by a sub-population distinct from those expressing CCR5. Thus, efficient CXCR6 use, previously identified in SM and AGM infection, also characterizes a member of the SIV lineage that gave rise to SIVcpz/HIV-1. Loss of CXCR6 usage by SIVcpz may have altered its cell tropism, shifting virus from CXCR6-expressing cells that may support replication without disrupting immune function or homeostasis, towards CCR5-expressing cells with pathogenic consequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine S. Wetzel
- Departments of Medicine and Microbiology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
| | - Yanjie Yi
- Departments of Medicine and Microbiology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
| | - Anjana Yadav
- Departments of Medicine and Microbiology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
| | - Anya M. Bauer
- Departments of Medicine and Microbiology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
| | - Ezekiel A. Bello
- Departments of Medicine and Microbiology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
| | - Dino C. Romero
- Departments of Medicine and Microbiology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
| | - Frederic Bibollet-Ruche
- Departments of Medicine and Microbiology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
| | - Beatrice H. Hahn
- Departments of Medicine and Microbiology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
| | - Mirko Paiardini
- Division of Microbiology and Immunology, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Guido Silvestri
- Division of Microbiology and Immunology, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Martine Peeters
- UMI233-TransVIHMI/INSERM U1175, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD) and University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Ronald G. Collman
- Departments of Medicine and Microbiology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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7
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Joas S, Parrish EH, Gnanadurai CW, Lump E, Stürzel CM, Parrish NF, Learn GH, Sauermann U, Neumann B, Rensing KM, Fuchs D, Billingsley JM, Bosinger SE, Silvestri G, Apetrei C, Huot N, Garcia-Tellez T, Müller-Trutwin M, Hotter D, Sauter D, Stahl-Hennig C, Hahn BH, Kirchhoff F. Species-specific host factors rather than virus-intrinsic virulence determine primate lentiviral pathogenicity. Nat Commun 2018; 9:1371. [PMID: 29636452 PMCID: PMC5893559 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-03762-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2017] [Accepted: 03/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
HIV-1 causes chronic inflammation and AIDS in humans, whereas related simian immunodeficiency viruses (SIVs) replicate efficiently in their natural hosts without causing disease. It is currently unknown to what extent virus-specific properties are responsible for these different clinical outcomes. Here, we incorporate two putative HIV-1 virulence determinants, i.e., a Vpu protein that antagonizes tetherin and blocks NF-κB activation and a Nef protein that fails to suppress T cell activation via downmodulation of CD3, into a non-pathogenic SIVagm strain and test their impact on viral replication and pathogenicity in African green monkeys. Despite sustained high-level viremia over more than 4 years, moderately increased immune activation and transcriptional signatures of inflammation, the HIV-1-like SIVagm does not cause immunodeficiency or any other disease. These data indicate that species-specific host factors rather than intrinsic viral virulence factors determine the pathogenicity of primate lentiviruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Joas
- Institute of Molecular Virology, Ulm University Medical Center, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - Erica H Parrish
- Departments of Medicine and Microbiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, 372327, USA
| | - Clement W Gnanadurai
- Institute of Molecular Virology, Ulm University Medical Center, 89081, Ulm, Germany
- Department of Veterinary Pathology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Edina Lump
- Institute of Molecular Virology, Ulm University Medical Center, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - Christina M Stürzel
- Institute of Molecular Virology, Ulm University Medical Center, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - Nicholas F Parrish
- Departments of Medicine and Microbiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- Department of Surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA
| | - Gerald H Learn
- Departments of Medicine and Microbiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | | | | | | | - Dietmar Fuchs
- Division of Biological Chemistry, Biocenter Innsbruck Medical University, Center for Chemistry and Biomedicine, A-6020, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - James M Billingsley
- Emory Vaccine Center and Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Steven E Bosinger
- Emory Vaccine Center and Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Guido Silvestri
- Emory Vaccine Center and Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Cristian Apetrei
- WA Center for Vaccine Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA
| | - Nicolas Huot
- Institut Pasteur, Unité HIV, Inflammation and Persistence, Paris, 75015, France
- Vaccine Research Institute, Hôpital Henri Mondor, Créteil, 94010, France
| | | | | | - Dominik Hotter
- Institute of Molecular Virology, Ulm University Medical Center, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - Daniel Sauter
- Institute of Molecular Virology, Ulm University Medical Center, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | | | - Beatrice H Hahn
- Departments of Medicine and Microbiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Frank Kirchhoff
- Institute of Molecular Virology, Ulm University Medical Center, 89081, Ulm, Germany.
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