Susceptibilities of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 enzyme and viral variants expressing multiple resistance-engendering amino acid substitutions to reserve transcriptase inhibitors.

To evaluate the potential that multiply resistant human immunodeficiency virus type 1 variants may arise during combination nucleoside and nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor therapy, we constructed a series of mutant reverse transcriptase enzymes and viruses that coexpressed various combinations of resistance-associated amino acid substitutions. Substitutions at residues 100 (Leu-->Ile) and 181 (Tyr-->Cys), which mediate resistance to the nonnucleosides, suppressed resistance to 3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine (AZT) when coexpressed with AZT-specific substitutions. However, a number of viral variants that exhibited significantly reduced susceptibilities to both classes of inhibitors were constructed.

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 protease inhibitors: evaluation of resistance engendered by amino acid substitutions in the enzyme's substrate binding site.

The human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) protease is a homodimeric aspartyl endopeptidase that is required for virus replication. A number of specific, active-site inhibitors for this enzyme have been described. Many of the inhibitors exhibit significant differences in activity against the HIV-1 and HIV type 2 (HIV-2) enzymes. An initial study was conducted to ascertain the HIV-1 protease's potential to lose sensitivity to several test inhibitors while retaining full enzymatic activity. The substrate binding sites of the HIV-1 and HIV-2 enzymes are almost fully conserved, except for four amino acid residues at positions 32, 47, 76, and 82. Accordingly, recombinant mutant type 1 proteases were constructed that contained the cognate type 2 residue at each of these four positions. The substitution at position 32 resulted in a significant adverse effect on inhibitor potency. However, this substitution also mediated a noted increase in the Km of the substrate. Individual substitutions at the remaining three positions, as well as a combination of all four substitutions, had very little effect on enzyme activity or inhibitor susceptibility. Hence, the four studied active site residues are insufficient to be responsible for differences in inhibitor sensitivity between the HIV-1 and HIV-2 proteases and are unlikely to contribute to the generation of inhibitor-resistant mutant HIV-1 protease.

Comprehensive mutant enzyme and viral variant assessment of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 reverse transcriptase resistance to nonnucleoside inhibitors.

The nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase (RT) inhibitors comprise a class of structurally diverse compounds that are functionally related and specific for the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 RT. Viral variants resistant to these compounds arise readily in cell culture and in treated, infected human. Therefore, the eventual clinical usefulness of the nonnucleoside inhibitors will rely on a thorough understanding of the genetic and biochemical bases for resistance. A study was performed to assess the effects of substitutions at each RT amino acid residue that influences the enzyme's susceptibility to the various nonnucleoside compounds. Single substitutions were introduced into both purified enzyme and virus. The resulting patterns of resistance were markedly distinct for each of the tested inhibitors. For instance, a > 50-fold loss of enzyme susceptibility to BI-RG-587 was engendered by any of four individual substitutions, while the same level of relative resistance to the pyridinone derivatives was mediated only by substitution at residue 181. Similarly, substitution at residue 181. Similarly, substitution at residue 106 had a noted effect on virus resistance to BI-RG-587 but not to the pyridinones. The opposite effect was mediated by a substitution at residue 179. Such knowledge of nonucleoside inhibitor resistance profiles may help in understanding the basis for resistant virus selection during clinical studies of these compounds.

Functional analysis of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase amino acids involved in resistance to multiple nonnucleoside inhibitors.

Several novel, structurally distinct classes of specific human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) reverse transcriptase (RT) nonnucleoside inhibitors have been described recently. These include the pyridinone derivatives L-697,639, L-697,661, and L-696,229 as well as BI-RG-587 and the tetrahydroimidazo[4,5,1-j,k]-benzodiazepin-2(1H)-one and -thione compounds. Previous studies have implicated involvement of the RT amino acid residues at positions 103, 181, and 188 in the activity of the compounds. Accordingly, HIV-1 RT mutants containing a series of amino acid substitutions at these positions were constructed. The relative resistance of purified mutant enzymes to each of the inhibitors was assessed. This analysis established the functional equivalence of the three inhibitor classes and provided evidence for the interaction of the 103 site with the 181/188 region. Amino acid substitutions at these positions were also found to influence RT sensitivity to inhibition by phosphonoformate, thereby suggesting a close association between this pyrophosphate analog's binding site in RT and the binding site of the nonnucleoside inhibitors. In addition, aromatic stacking of the amino acid side groups at residues 181 and 188 was suggested to be required for inhibitor activity.

Identification of the human immunodeficiency virus reverse transcriptase residues that contribute to the activity of diverse nonnucleoside inhibitors.

The reverse transcriptase (RT) of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) is potently inhibited by a structurally diverse group of nonnucleoside compounds. These include pyridinone derivatives, tetrahydroimadazo[4,5,1-j,k][1,4]-benzodiazepin-2(1H)-one and -thione, and BI-RG-587 (nevirapine). The compounds act noncompetitively, by an unknown mechanism, with respect to template-primer and nucleotide substrates. Despite a high degree of similarity between the HIV-1 and HIV-2 RTs, the HIV-2 enzyme is totally insensitive to these inhibitors. Using a novel method for joining DNA sequences, we have exploited this difference between the two enzymes to identify the regions of the RT that contribute to the compounds' inhibitory activities. The relative in vitro sensitivities of HIV-1/HIV-2 chimeric and site-specific mutant enzymes were determined. Sensitivity to inhibition was largely, though not exclusively, dependent upon the RT region defined by amino acid residues 176 to 190, with specific contributions by residues 181 and 188. The region defined by residues 101 to 106 was found to functionally interact with the domain from 155 to 217. In addition, the functional equivalence of the three inhibitor groups was shown.

Sequence-specific interaction of Tat protein and Tat peptides with the transactivation-responsive sequence element of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 in vitro.

Bacterially expressed Tat protein of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 binds selectively to short RNA transcripts containing the viral transactivation-responsive element (TAR). Sequences sufficient for Tat interaction map to the distal portion of the TAR stem-loop. We show that critical sequences for Tat binding are located in the single-stranded "bulge," but no requirement for specific "loop" sequences could be demonstrated. TAR RNA competed for complex formation, and TAR mutants exhibited up to 10-fold reduced affinity for Tat. Synthetic peptides containing the basic region of Tat bound selectively to TAR RNA and exhibited the same sequence requirements and similar relative affinities for mutant TAR RNA as the intact protein. These results suggest that Tat contains a small RNA-binding domain capable of recognizing TAR and implicate functional relevance for direct Tat-TAR interaction in transactivation.

Bacterial expression of antibody fragments that block human rhinovirus infection of cultured cells.

Human rhinoviruses are the major causative agents of the common cold in humans and have been divided into major and minor groups based on receptor specificity. cDNAs encoding the light and heavy chains of a murine monoclonal antibody that recognizes the major group receptor were cloned, abundantly expressed in Escherichia coli, and renatured into Fab fragments that blocked virus binding and protected HeLa cell monolayers from rhinovirus infection. Elimination of the cysteines normally bridging the heavy and light chains yielded molecules indistinguishable from wild-type Fab fragments in virus binding assays. Single-chain antibodies with covalently linked light and heavy variable domains were also expressed and showed receptor binding and cell protection activities. These recombinant antibody fragments are potentially useful in preventing or treating common colds in humans.

Synthesis and immunoadjuvant activities of 2-acetamido-5-O-acetyl-6-O-acyl-2-deoxy-3-O-[(R)-2-propionyl-L-alanyl-D- isoglutamine]-D-glucofuranoses as potential prodrug forms of 6-O-Acyl Derivatives of N-acetylmuramyl dipeptide.

2-Acetamido-5-O-acetyl-6-O-acyl-2-deoxy-3-O-[(R)-2-propionyl-L-alanyl-D- isoglutamine]-D-glucofuranoses, designed as prodrug forms of the corresponding immunoadjuvant-active 6-O-acyl derivatives of N-acetylmuramyl dipeptide (MDP), were synthesized from benzyl 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-5, 6-O-isopropylidene-beta-D-glucofuranoside and found, when administered to mice in an aqueous medium, to elevate antibody production against bovine serum albumin. The 5,6-di-O-acetyl derivative 8 exhibited activity similar to that of MDP at 50 micrograms/dose. The antibody titer measured for the 5-O-acetyl-6-O-stearoyl compound 9 was comparable to that obtained with 6-O-stearoyl-MDP at 50 micrograms, and both compounds were more active than MDP at 5 micrograms. The more lipophilic 5-O-acetyl-6-O-[2-(behenoyloxy)isobutyryl] compound 10 was considerably more active than MDP at both 50 and 5 micrograms; moreover, its potent adjuvant activity was not diminished at the lower dose. The three 5-O-acetylated 6-O-acylated dipeptidyl furanose derivatives also significantly stimulated production of circulating antibodies against hepatitis B vaccine in mice; titers were comparable to those observed with the alum-adsorbed vaccine. The range of immunoadjuvant activities obtained with 8-10 and control compounds supports a prodrug mechanism for this class of furanoid MDP analogues.

Resistance of C58 mice to primary systemic herpes simplex virus infection: macrophage dependence and T-cell independence.

The relative contribution of thymus-derived lymphocytes (T-cells) and of macrophages to resistance to primary infection with herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) was studied in C58 mice. Resistance was dependent on macrophage competence, but was relatively independent of T-lymphocyte competence. Although aging mice became progressively more deficient in functional T-cells, as demonstrated by a decreasing resistance to transplanted line Ib leukemia and by declining responses to T-cell nitogens (concanavalin A and phytohemagglutinin), their resistance to HSV-1 increased with increasing age. Moreover, in mice that were made selectively deficient in T-cells by the combination of adult thymectomy and treatment with anti-thymocyte serum, resistance to HSV-1 did not correlate spleen and mesenteric lymph nodes. However, selective reduction of macrophages by intraperitoneal injection of silica resulted in enhanced susceptibility to HSV-1. Furthermore, in vitro suppression of HSV-1 plaque formation in mouse embryo fibroblast cells was obtained by cocultivation of infected fibroblast monolayers with peritoneal macrophages, but not with splenic lymphocytes, from adult mice. Macrophages from weanling mice failed to suppress the development of plaques, indicating that the increase in resistance to HSV-1 with age is a result of increased macrophage competence.

Studies on vaccinia virus-directed deoxyribonucleic acid polymerase.

A vaccinia-directed deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) polymerase has been partially purified from the cytoplasmic fractions of virus-infected HeLa cells. The utilization of natural and synthetic templates by this enzyme resembles that of the host cell DNA-dependent DNA polymerases. The vaccinia DNA polymerase cannot copy ribopolymers or ribonucleic acid but is very effective with an "activated" DNA as template. An exonuclease preferring single-stranded DNA as substrate is found in the most highly purified preparations of the enzyme. The molecular weight of the vaccinia DNA polymerase seems to be about 110,000. The viral DNA polymerase is also found to be associated with purified, infected cell nuclei, and this association may be due, at least in part, to nonspecific adsorption of the vaccinia DNA polymerase by nuclei.