Plasma Membrane Proteomic Profile Discovers Macrophage-capping Protein Related to Latent HIV-1

iTRAQ-based proteomic study on monocyte cell model discovered an association of LAMP2 downregulation with HIV-1 latency

BACKGROUND

Patients with immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) infection are challenging to be cured completely due to the existence of HIV-1 latency reservoirs. However, the knowledge of the mechanisms and biomarkers associated with HIV-1 latency is limited. Therefore, identifying proteins related to HIV-1 latency could provide new insights into the underlying mechanisms of HIV-1 latency, and ultimately contribute to the eradication of HIV reservoirs.

METHODS

An Isobaric Tags for Relative and Absolute Quantification (iTRAQ)-labeled subcellular proteomic study was performed on an HIV-1 latently infected cell model (U1, a HIV-1-integrated U937 cell line) and its control (U937). Differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were analyzed using STRING-DB. Selected DEPs were further evaluated by western blotting and multiple reaction monitoring technology in both cell model and patient-derived cluster of differentiation 4 (CD4)+ T cells. Finally, we investigated the relationship between a specific DEP lysosome-associated membrane glycoprotein 2 (LAMP2) and HIV-1 reactivation by panobinostat or lysosome regulation by a lysosomotropic agent hydroxychloroquine in U1 and U937 cells.

RESULTS

In total, 110 DEPs were identified in U1 cells comparing to U937 control cells. Bioinformatics analysis suggested associations of the altered proteins with the immune response and endosomal/lysosomal pathway. LAMP2, leukocyte surface antigen CD47, CD55, and ITGA6 were downregulated in HIV-1 latent cells. Downregulated LAMP2 was further confirmed in resting CD4+ T cells from patients with latent HIV-1 infection. Furthermore, both HIV-1 reactivation by panobinostat and stimulation with hydroxychloroquine upregulated LAMP2 expression.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results indicated the involvement of the endosomal/lysosomal pathway in HIV-1 latency in macrophage cell model. The down-modulation of LAMP2 was associated with HIV latency, and the restoration of LAMP2 expression accompanied the transition of viral latency to active infection. This study provides new insights into the mechanism of HIV-1 latency and potential strategies for eradicating HIV-1 reservoirs by targeting LAMP2 expression.

Temporal proteomic analyses of human lung cells distinguish high pathogenicity influenza viruses and coronaviruses from low pathogenicity viruses

Newly re-emerging viruses are of significant global concern. In late 2019, a new coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, emerged in China and soon spread worldwide, causing the COVID-19 pandemic, which to date has caused >6 M deaths. There has been a wealth of studies on this new virus since its emergence. The coronaviruses consist of many animal and human pathogens, with some of the human coronavirus, such as strain OC43, normally causing only mild cold-like symptoms. Viruses usurp host cellular processes to successfully replicate. We used tandem mass tag mass spectrometry-based proteomic analyses of human lung MRC-5 cells infected with OC43 for various periods of time to delineate virus-induced host cell alterations. Numerous proteins involved in lipid metabolism, molecular transport, small molecule biochemistry, cell death and survival, humoral immune response, and inflammatory response were dysregulated. Comparison of our findings to previous studies that examined a range of differentially pathogenic influenza A viruses (IAV), and to SARS-CoV-2 data, revealed that proteins involved in the cell cycle, cytokine signaling, DNA replication, and anti-inflammatory responses were generally similarly affected by virtually all tested IAV and CoV. However, proteins involved in necrosis, protein metabolism, ECM regulation, and signal transduction were generally different. In addition, the more pathogenic CoV and IAV activated Rb-dependent repression of E2F-mediated transcription, whereas less pathogenic influenza and coronaviruses either inhibited or had no effect on this pathway.

Integrated proteomics and transcriptomics analyses identify novel cell surface markers of HIV latency

Elimination of the latent HIV cell reservoir may be possible, if the molecular identity of latently infected cells were fully elucidated. We conducted comprehensive molecular profiling, at the protein and RNA levels, of primary T cells latently infected with HIV in vitro. Isobaric labelling quantitative proteomics and RNA sequencing identified 1453 proteins and 618 genes, altered in latently infected cells compared to mock-infected controls (p < 0.05). Biomarker selection was based on results from integrated data analysis. Relative enrichment for latently infected cells was monitored using flow cytometric sorting and the HIV integrant assay. Antibodies against selected proteins, encoded by CEACAM1 and PLXNB2, enabled enrichment of latently infected cells from cell mixtures by 3-10 fold (5.8 average, p < 0.001), comparable to levels obtained with biomarkers reported previously. Individual biomarkers are likely linked to subsets of latently infected cells, and an extended antibody panel will be required to inclusively target the latent HIV reservoir.

Subcellular Proteomic Analysis Reveals Dysregulation in Organization of Human A549 Cells Infected with Influenza Virus H7N9

Background:

H7N9 influenza virus poses a high risk to human beings and proteomic evaluations of these infections may help to better understand its pathogenic mechanisms in human systems. Objective: To find membrane proteins related to H7N9 infection.

Methods:

Here, we infected primary human alveolar adenocarcinoma epithelial cells (A549) cells with H7N9 (including wild and mutant strains) and then produced enriched cellular membrane isolations which were evaluated by western blot. The proteins in these cell membrane fractions were analyzed using the isobaric Tags for Relative and Absolute Quantitation (iTRAQ) proteome technologies.

Results:

Differentially expressed proteins (n = 32) were identified following liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, including 20 down-regulated proteins such as CD44 antigen, and CD151 antigen, and 12 up-regulated proteins such as tight junction protein ZO-1, and prostaglandin reductase 1. Gene Ontology database searching revealed that 20 out of the 32 differentially expressed proteins were localized to the plasma membrane. These proteins were primarily associated with cellular component organization (n = 20), and enriched in the Reactome pathway of extracellular matrix organization (n = 4).

Conclusion:

These findings indicate that H7N9 may dysregulate cellular organization via specific alterations to the protein profile of the plasma membrane.

Elucidation of host-virus surfaceome interactions using spatial proteotyping

The cellular surfaceome and its residing extracellularly exposed proteins are involved in a multitude of molecular signaling processes across the viral infection cycle. Successful viral propagation, including viral entry, immune evasion, virion release and viral spread rely on dynamic molecular interactions with the surfaceome. Decoding of these viral-host surfaceome interactions using advanced technologies enabled the discovery of fundamental new functional insights into cellular and viral biology. In this review, we highlight recently developed experimental strategies, with a focus on spatial proteotyping technologies, aiding in the rational design of theranostic strategies to combat viral infections.