Identification and CRISPR/Cas9 Inactivation of the C1s Protease Responsible for Proteolysis of Recombinant Proteins Produced in CHO Cells.

Proteolysis associated with recombinant protein expression in Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cells has hindered the development of biologics including HIV vaccines. When expressed in CHO cells, the recombinant HIV envelope protein, gp120, undergoes proteolytic clipping by a serine protease at a key epitope recognized by neutralizing antibodies. The problem is particularly acute for envelope proteins from clade B viruses that represent the major genetic subtype circulating in much of the developed world, including the US and Europe. In this paper, we have identified complement Component 1's (C1s), a serine protease from the complement cascade, as the protease responsible for the proteolysis of gp120 in CHO cells. CRISPR/Cas9 knockout of the C1s protease in a CHO cell line was shown to eliminate the proteolytic activity against the recombinantly expressed gp120. In addition, the C1s-/- MGAT1- CHO cell line, with the C1s protease and the MGAT1 glycosyltransferase knocked out, enabled the production of unclipped gp120 from a clade B isolate (BaL-rgp120) and enriched for mannose-5 glycans on gp120 that are required for the binding of multiple broadly neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (bN-mAbs). The availability of this technology will allow for the scale-up and testing of multiple vaccine concepts in regions of the world where clade B viruses are in circulation. Furthermore, the proteolysis issues caused by the C1s protease suggests a broader need for a C1s-deficient CHO cell line to express other recombinant proteins that are susceptible to serine protease activity in CHO cells. Similarly, the workflow described here to identify and knockout C1s in a CHO cell line can be applied to remedy the proteolysis of biologics by other CHO proteases.

Development of a Stable MGAT1- CHO Cell Line to Produce Clade C gp120 With Improved Binding to Broadly Neutralizing Antibodies.

The high rate of new HIV infections, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa, emphasizes the need for a safe and effective vaccine to prevent acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). To date, the only HIV vaccine trial that has exhibited protective efficacy in humans was the RV144 study completed in Thailand. The finding that protection correlated with antibodies to gp120 suggested that increasing the quality or magnitude of the antibody response that recognize gp120 might improve the modest yet significant protection (31.2%) achieved with this immunization regimen. However, the large-scale production of rgp120 suitable for clinical trials has been challenging due, in part, to low productivity and difficulties in purification. Moreover, the antigens that are currently available were produced largely by the same technology used in the early 1990s and fail to incorporate unique carbohydrates presented on HIV virions required for the binding of several major families of broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs). Here we describe the development of a high-yielding CHO cell line expressing rgp120 from a clade C isolate (TZ97008), representative of the predominant circulating HIV subtype in Southern Africa and Southeast Asia. This cell line, produced using robotic selection, expresses high levels (1.2 g/L) of the TZ97008 rgp120 antigen that incorporates oligomannose glycans required for binding to multiple glycan dependent bNAbs. The resulting rgp120 displays a lower degree of net charge and glycoform heterogeneity as compared to rgp120s produced in normal CHO cells. This homogeneity in net charge facilitates purification by filtration and ion exchange chromatography methods, eliminating the need for expensive custom-made lectin, or immunoaffinity columns. The results described herein document the availability of a novel cell line for the large-scale production of clade C gp120 for clinical trials. Finally, the strategy used to produce a TZ97008 gp120 in the MGAT- CHO cell line can be applied to the production of other candidate HIV vaccines.

Expression and Immunogenicity of Two Recombinant Fusion Proteins Comprising Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus Structural Protein VP1 and DC-SIGN-Binding Glycoproteins.

Improving vaccine immunogenicity by targeting antigens to dendritic cells has recently emerged as a new design strategy in vaccine development. In this study, the VP1 gene of foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) serotype A was fused with the gene encoding human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) membrane glycoprotein gp120 or C2-V3 domain of hepatitis C virus (HCV) envelope glycoprotein E2, both of which are DC-SIGN-binding glycoproteins. After codon optimization, the VP1 protein and the two recombinant VP1-gp120 and VP1-E2 fusion proteins were expressed in Sf9 insect cells using the insect cell-baculovirus expression system. Western blotting showed that the VP1 protein and two recombinant VP1-gp120 and VP1-E2 fusion proteins were correctly expressed in the Sf9 insect cells and had good reactogenicity. Guinea pigs were then immunized with the purified proteins, and the resulting humoral and cellular immune responses were analyzed. The VP1-gp120 and VP1-E2 fusion proteins induced significantly higher specific anti-FMDV antibody levels than the VP1 protein and stronger cell-mediated immune responses. This study provides a new perspective for the development of novel FMDV subunit vaccines.

Recombinant production of influenza hemagglutinin and HIV-1 GP120 antigenic peptides using a cleavable self-aggregating tag.

The increasing demand for antigenic peptides in the development of novel serologic diagnostics and epitope-based vaccines requires rapid and reliable peptide synthesis techniques. Here we investigated a method for efficient recombinant expression and purification of medium- to large-sized antigenic peptides in E. coli. Previously we devised a streamlined protein expression and purification scheme based on a cleavable self-aggregating tag (cSAT), which comprised an intein molecule and a self-aggregating peptide ELK16. In this scheme, the target proteins were fused in the C-termini with cSAT and expressed as insoluble aggregates. After intein self-cleavage, target proteins were released into the soluble fraction with high yield and reasonable purity. We demonstrated the applicability of this scheme by preparing seven model viral peptides, with lengths ranging from 32 aa to 72 aa. By adding an N-terminal thioredoxin tag, we enhanced the yield of target peptides released from the aggregates. The purified viral peptides demonstrated high antigenic activities in ELISA and were successfully applied to dissecting the antigenic regions of influenza hemagglutinin. The cSAT scheme described here allows for the rapid and low-cost preparation of multiple antigenic peptides for immunological screening of a broad range of viral antigens.

Rationally Designed Immunogens Targeting HIV-1 gp120 V1V2 Induce Distinct Conformation-Specific Antibody Responses in Rabbits.

The V1V2 region of HIV-1 gp120 harbors a major vulnerable site targeted by a group of broadly neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) such as PG9 through strand-strand recognition. However, this epitope region is structurally polymorphic as it can also form a helical conformation recognized by RV144 vaccine-induced MAb CH58. This structural polymorphism is a potential mechanism for masking the V1V2 vulnerable site. Designing immunogens that can induce conformation-specific antibody (Ab) responses may lead to vaccines targeting this vulnerable site. We designed a panel of immunogens engrafting the V1V2 domain into trimeric and pentameric scaffolds in structurally constrained conformations. We also fused V1V2 to an Fc fragment to mimic the unconstrained V1V2 conformation. We tested these V1V2-scaffold proteins for immunogenicity in rabbits and assessed the responses by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and competition assays. Our V1V2 immunogens induced distinct conformation-specific Ab responses. Abs induced by structurally unconstrained immunogens reacted preferentially with unconstrained V1V2 antigens, suggesting recognition of the helical configuration, while Abs induced by the structurally constrained immunogens reacted preferentially with constrained V1V2 antigens, suggesting recognition of the ß-strand conformation. The Ab responses induced by the structurally constrained immunogens were more broadly reactive and had higher titers than those induced by the structurally unconstrained immunogens. Our results demonstrate that immunogens presenting the different structural conformations of the gp120 V1V2 vulnerable site can be designed and that these immunogens induce distinct Ab responses with epitope conformation specificity. Therefore, these structurally constrained V1V2 immunogens are vaccine prototypes targeting the V1V2 domain of the HIV-1 envelope. IMPORTANCE: The correlates analysis of the RV144 HIV-1 vaccine trial suggested that the presence of antibodies to the V1V2 region of HIV-1 gp120 was responsible for the modest protection observed in the trial. In addition, V1V2 harbors one of the key vulnerable sites of HIV-1 Env recognized by a family of broadly neutralizing MAbs such as PG9. Thus, V1V2 is a key target for vaccine development. However, this vulnerable site is structurally polymorphic, and designing immunogens that present different conformations is crucial for targeting this site. We show here that such immunogens can be designed and that they induced conformation-specific antibody responses in rabbits. Our immunogens are therefore prototypes of vaccine candidates targeting the V1V2 region of HIV-1 Env.

Sustained antigen availability during germinal center initiation enhances antibody responses to vaccination.

Natural infections expose the immune system to escalating antigen and inflammation over days to weeks, whereas nonlive vaccines are single bolus events. We explored whether the immune system responds optimally to antigen kinetics most similar to replicating infections, rather than a bolus dose. Using HIV antigens, we found that administering a given total dose of antigen and adjuvant over 1-2 wk through repeated injections or osmotic pumps enhanced humoral responses, with exponentially increasing (exp-inc) dosing profiles eliciting >10-fold increases in antibody production relative to bolus vaccination post prime. Computational modeling of the germinal center response suggested that antigen availability as higher-affinity antibodies evolve enhances antigen capture in lymph nodes. Consistent with these predictions, we found that exp-inc dosing led to prolonged antigen retention in lymph nodes and increased Tfh cell and germinal center B-cell numbers. Thus, regulating the antigen and adjuvant kinetics may enable increased vaccine potency.

Rationally Designed Vaccines Targeting the V2 Region of HIV-1 gp120 Induce a Focused, Cross-Clade-Reactive, Biologically Functional Antibody Response.

Strong antibody (Ab) responses against V1V2 epitopes of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) gp120 envelope (Env) correlated with reduced infection rates in studies of HIV, simian-human immunodeficiency virus (SHIV), and simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV). In order to focus the Ab response on V1V2, we used six V1V2 sequences and nine scaffold proteins to construct immunogens which were tested using various immunization regimens for their ability to induce cross-reactive and biologically active V2 Abs in rabbits. A prime/boost immunization strategy was employed using gp120 DNA and various V1V2-scaffold proteins. The rabbit polyclonal Ab responses (i) were successfully focused on the V1V2 region, with weak or only transient responses to other Env epitopes, (ii) displayed broad cross-reactive binding activity with gp120s and the V1V2 regions of diverse strains from clades B, C, and E, (iii) included V2 Abs with specificities similar to those found in HIV-infected individuals, and (iv) remained detectable ≥1 year after the last boosting dose. Importantly, sera from rabbits receiving V1V2-scaffold immunogens displayed Ab-dependent cellular phagocytosis whereas sera from rabbits receiving only gp120 did not. The results represent the first fully successful example of reverse vaccinology in the HIV vaccine field with rationally designed epitope scaffold immunogens inducing Abs that recapitulate the epitope specificity and biologic activity of the human monoclonal Abs from which the immunogens were designed. Moreover, this is the first immunogenicity study using epitope-targeting, rationally designed vaccine constructs that induced an Fc-mediated activity associated with protection from infection with HIV, SIV, and SHIV. IMPORTANCE: Novel immunogens were designed to focus the antibody response of rabbits on the V1V2 epitopes of HIV-1 gp120 since such antibodies were associated with reduced infection rates of HIV, SIV, and SHIV. The vaccine-induced antibodies were broadly cross-reactive with the V1V2 regions of HIV subtypes B, C and E and, importantly, facilitated Fc-mediated phagocytosis, an activity not induced upon immunization of rabbits with gp120. This is the first immunogenicity study of vaccine constructs that focuses the antibody response on V1V2 and induces V2-specific antibodies with the ability to mediate phagocytosis, an activity that has been associated with protection from infection with HIV, SIV, and SHIV.

Expression of gp120 in mice evokes anxiety behavior: Co-occurrence with increased dendritic spines and brain-derived neurotrophic factor in the amygdala.

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV) infection of the brain produces cognitive and motor disorders. In addition, HIV positive individuals exhibit behavioral alterations, such as apathy, and a decrease in spontaneity or emotional responses, typically seen in anxiety disorders. Anxiety can lead to psychological stress, which has been shown to influence HIV disease progression. These considerations underscore the importance of determining if anxiety in HIV is purely psychosocial, or if by contrast, there are the molecular cascades associated directly with HIV infection that may mediate anxiety. The present study had two goals: (1) to determine if chronic exposure to viral proteins would induce anxiety-like behavior in an animal model and (2) to determine if this exposure results in anatomical abnormalities that could explain increased anxiety. We have used gp120 transgenic mice, which display behavior and molecular deficiencies similar to HIV positive subjects with cognitive and motor impairments. In comparison to wild type mice, 6 months old gp120 transgenic mice demonstrated an anxiety like behavior measured by open field, light/dark transition task, and prepulse inhibition tests. Moreover, gp120 transgenic mice have an increased number of spines in the amygdala, as well as higher levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and tissue plasminogen activator when compared to age-matched wild type. Our data support the hypothesis that HIV, through gp120, may cause structural changes in the amygdala that lead to maladaptive responses to anxiety.

Stable Expression of Lentiviral Antigens by Quality-Controlled Recombinant Mycobacterium bovis BCG Vectors.

The well-established safety profile of the tuberculosis vaccine strain, Mycobacterium bovis bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG), makes it an attractive vehicle for heterologous expression of antigens from clinically relevant pathogens. However, successful generation of recombinant BCG strains possessing consistent insert expression has encountered challenges in stability. Here, we describe a method for the development of large recombinant BCG accession lots which stably express the lentiviral antigens, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) gp120 and simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) Gag, using selectable leucine auxotrophic complementation. Successful establishment of vaccine stability stems from stringent quality control criteria which not only screen for highly stable complemented BCG ΔleuCD transformants but also thoroughly characterize postproduction quality. These parameters include consistent production of correctly sized antigen, retention of sequence-pure plasmid DNA, freeze-thaw recovery, enumeration of CFU, and assessment of cellular aggregates. Importantly, these quality assurance procedures were indicative of overall vaccine stability, were predictive for successful antigen expression in subsequent passaging both in vitro and in vivo, and correlated with induction of immune responses in murine models. This study has yielded a quality-controlled BCG ΔleuCD vaccine expressing HIV gp120 that retained stable full-length expression after 10(24)-fold amplification in vitro and following 60 days of growth in mice. A second vaccine lot expressed full-length SIV Gag for >10(68)-fold amplification in vitro and induced potent antigen-specific T cell populations in vaccinated mice. Production of large, well-defined recombinant BCG ΔleuCD lots can allow confidence that vaccine materials for immunogenicity and protection studies are not negatively affected by instability or differences between freshly grown production batches.

A Plant-Derived Multi-HIV Antigen Induces Broad Immune Responses in Orally Immunized Mice.

Multi-HIV, a multiepitopic protein derived from both gp120 and gp41 envelope proteins of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), has been proposed as a vaccine prototype capable of inducing broad immune responses, as it carries various B and T cell epitopes from several HIV strains. In this study, the immunogenic properties of a Multi-HIV expressed in tobacco chloroplasts are evaluated in test mice. BALB/c mice orally immunized with tobacco-derived Multi-HIV have elicited antibody responses, including both the V3 loop of gp120 and the ELDKWA epitope of gp41. Based on splenocyte proliferation assays, stimulation with epitopes of the C4, V3 domain of gp120, and the ELDKWA domain of gp41 elicits positive cellular responses. Furthermore, specific interferon gamma production is observed in both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells stimulated with HIV peptides. These results demonstrate that plant-derived Multi-HIV induces T helper-specific responses. Altogether, these findings illustrate the immunogenic potential of plant-derived Multi-HIV in an oral immunization scheme. The potential of this low-cost immunization approach and its implications on HIV/AIDS vaccine development are discussed.

Stoichiometric parameters of HIV-1 entry.

During HIV type 1 (HIV-1) entry, trimers of gp120 bind to CD4 and either the CCR5 or CXCR4 coreceptor on the target cell. The stoichiometric parameters associated with HIV-1 entry remain unclear. Important unanswered questions include: how many trimers must attach to CD4 molecules, how many must bind coreceptors, and how many functional gp120 subunits per trimer are required for entry? We performed single round infectivity assays with chimeric viruses and compared the experimental relative infectivity curves with curves generated by mathematical models. Our results indicate that HIV-1 entry requires only a small number of functional spikes (one or two), that Env trimers may function with fewer than three active subunits, and that there is no major difference in the stoichiometric requirements for CCR5 vs. CXCR4 mediated HIV-1 entry into host cells.

Stable 293 T and CHO cell lines expressing cleaved, stable HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein trimers for structural and vaccine studies.

BACKGROUND: Recombinant soluble, cleaved HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein SOSIP.664 gp140 trimers based on the subtype A BG505 sequence are being studied structurally and tested as immunogens in animals. For these trimers to become a vaccine candidate for human trials, they would need to be made in appropriate amounts at an acceptable quality. Accomplishing such tasks by transient transfection is likely to be challenging. The traditional way to express recombinant proteins in large amounts is via a permanent cell line, usually of mammalian origin. Making cell lines that produce BG505 SOSIP.664 trimers requires the co-expression of the Furin protease to ensure that the cleavage site between the gp120 and gp41 subunits is fully utilized. RESULTS: We designed a vector capable of expressing Env and Furin, and used it to create Stable 293 T and CHO Flp-In™ cell lines through site-specific recombination. Both lines produce high quality, cleaved trimers at yields of up to 12-15 mg per 1 × 109 cells. Trimer expression at such levels was maintained for up to 30 days (10 passages) after initial seeding and was consistently superior to what could be achieved by transient transfection. Electron microscopy studies confirm that the purified trimers have the same native-like appearance as those derived by transient transfection and used to generate high-resolution structures. They also have appropriate antigenic properties, including the presentation of the quaternary epitope for the broadly neutralizing antibody PGT145. CONCLUSIONS: The BG505 SOSIP.664 trimer-expressing cell lines yield proteins of an appropriate quality for structural studies and animal immunogenicity experiments. The methodology is suitable for making similar lines under Good Manufacturing Practice conditions, to produce trimers for human clinical trials. Moreover, any env gene can be incorporated into this vector system, allowing the manufacture of SOSIP trimers from multiple genotypes, either by transient transfection or from stable cell lines.

Expression of HIV gp120 protein increases sensitivity to the rewarding properties of methamphetamine in mice.

Methamphetamine abuse and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection induce neuropathological changes in corticolimbic brain areas involved in reward and cognitive function. Little is known about the combined effects of methamphetamine and HIV infection on cognitive and reward processes. The HIV/gp120 protein induces neurodegeneration in mice, similar to HIV-induced pathology in humans. We investigated the effects of gp120 expression on associative learning, preference for methamphetamine and non-drug reinforcers, and sensitivity to the conditioned rewarding properties of methamphetamine in transgenic (tg) mice expressing HIV/gp120 protein (gp120-tg). gp120-tg mice learned the operant response for food at the same rate as non-tg mice. In the two-bottle choice procedure with restricted access to drugs, gp120-tg mice exhibited greater preference for methamphetamine and saccharin than non-tg mice, whereas preference for quinine was similar between genotypes. Under conditions of unrestricted access to methamphetamine, the mice exhibited a decreased preference for increasing methamphetamine concentrations. However, male gp120-tg mice showed a decreased preference for methamphetamine at lower concentrations than non-tg male mice. gp120-tg mice developed methamphetamine-induced conditioned place preference at lower methamphetamine doses compared with non-tg mice. No differences in methamphetamine pharmacokinetics were found between genotypes. These results indicate that gp120-tg mice exhibit no deficits in associative learning or reward/motivational function for a natural reinforcer. Interestingly, gp120 expression resulted in increased preference for methamphetamine and a highly palatable non-drug reinforcer (saccharin) and increased sensitivity to methamphetamine-induced conditioned reward. These data suggest that HIV-positive individuals may have increased sensitivity to methamphetamine, leading to high methamphetamine abuse potential in this population.

Short communication: evaluating the level of expressed HIV type 1 gp120 and gag proteins in the vCP1521 vector by two immunoplaque methods.

Over the past few years, several recombinant ALVAC constructs have been used as delivery systems in various vaccine research studies and trials. The ALVAC-HIV vCP1521 vector has been used as a vaccine delivery system in the RV144 study, a phase III HIV study that displayed over 31% protective efficacy. One of the important parameters for evaluating the potency of an ALVAC construct is the stable expression of proteins encoded by the inserted genes. Herein, the expression of inserted gp120 and gag genes in two manufactured ALVAC-HIV vCP1521 lots have been determined by two immunoplaque methods (dish and plaque lift). Both methods were specific and robust and demonstrated that the ALVAC-HIV vCP1521 lots were able to express gp120 and gag proteins in over 99% of the infectious plaques.

[Cloning and eukaryotic expression of HIV-1B gp120 genes from a patient with AIDS dementia complex].

OBJECTIVE: To clone and express the HIV-1B gp120 genes isolated at different organizations from a patient died of AIDS dementia complex (ADC) in eukaryotic cells. METHODS: Using the genomic DNA isolated from peripheral lymphnodes, choroid plexus and occipital white matter from a patient died of ADC as the template, HIV-1B gp120 gene was amplified with PCR. After sequenced, HIV-1B gp120 was inserted into pcDNA3.1 (+) and recombinant expressing vector gp120/pcDNA3.1 (+) was constructed succeffuly confirming with sequencing. Then expressing vector was transfected into eukaryotic cells U87 using liposome transfection and expression of HIV-1B gp120 gene was assayed with indirect immunofluorescence. RESULTS: HIV-1B gp120 genes isolated from peripheral lymphnodes, choroid plexus and occipital white matter of the ADC patient were successfully cloned and recombinant expressing vector gp120/pcDNA3; 1 (+) could express envelope glycoprotein HIV-1B gp120 in U87 cells. CONCLUSION: All the HIV-1B gp120 gene isolated at the different organizations of the same ADC patient could express in U87 cells, which may supply a valuable basis for studying the neurotoxicity and neurotoxic mechanism of HIV-1 gp120 protein.

Cell derived liposomes expressing CCR5 as a new targeted drug-delivery system for HIV infected cells.

Anti-retroviral-therapies against HIV/AIDS focus on inhibiting viral growth and may slow AIDS progression, but not cure the disease. Here we describe an approach to treat HIV as a cellular pathology by targeting cell derived liposomes against HIV-infected cells. Cell-derived-liposomes were prepared from the cytoplasmatic membranes of cells expressing CCR5, the human receptor for gp120, that is found on the surface of virions and HIV-infected cells. The specific targeting and cytotoxicity of the cell-derived liposomes towards gp120-expressing cells were studied. Cell-derived liposomes exhibited unilamellar morphology and were found to be of 100-200 nm in diameter. Moreover, CCR5 that was expressed on the surface of the cell-derived liposomes was biologically active and correctly oriented. Cell-derived liposomes incubated with HIV-infected model cells exhibited significant and specific targeting to those gp120-expressing cells. To demonstrate the system efficacy, EDTA was selected as liposomal encapsulate and was shown to cause high cytotoxic effect when introduced into the cell cytoplasm. Finally, cell-derived liposomes containing EDTA led to a 60% reduction in the viability of gp120-expressing cells compared to no effect on control cells that do not express gp120. These results demonstrate the specific targeting and cytotoxic effect of CCR5-conjugated cell-derived liposomes towards gp120-expressing HIV model cells, suggesting for a potential new therapeutic approach.

Rescue of adult hippocampal neurogenesis in a mouse model of HIV neurologic disease.

The prevalence of central nervous system (CNS) neurologic dysfunction associated with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection continues to increase, despite the use of antiretroviral therapy. Previous work has focused on the deleterious effects of HIV on mature neurons and on development of neuroprotective strategies, which have consistently failed to show a meaningful clinical benefit. It is now well established that new neurons are continuously generated in discrete regions in the adult mammalian brain, and accumulating evidence supports important roles for these neurons in specific cognitive functions. In a transgenic mouse model of HIV neurologic disease with glial expression of the HIV envelope protein gp120, we demonstrate a significant reduction in proliferation of hippocampal neural progenitors in the dentate gyrus of adult animals, resulting in a dramatic decrease in the number of newborn neurons in the adult brain. We identify amplifying neural progenitor cells (ANPs) as the first class of progenitors affected by gp120, and we also demonstrate that newly generated neurons exhibit aberrant dendritic development. Furthermore, voluntary exercise and treatment with a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor increase the ANP population and rescue the observed deficits in gp120 transgenic mice. Thus, during HIV infection, the envelope protein gp120 may potently inhibit adult hippocampal neurogenesis, and neurorestorative approaches may be effective in ameliorating these effects. Our study has significant implications for the development of novel therapeutic approaches for HIV-infected individuals with neurologic dysfunction and may be applicable to other neurodegenerative diseases in which hippocampal neurogenesis is impaired.

Conserved determinants of enhanced CCR5 binding in the human immunodeficiency virus subtype D envelope third variable loop.

Human immunodeficiency virus 1 subtype D (HIV-1D) contributes to a significant portion of the HIV-1 disease burden in eastern and central Africa, and is associated with more rapid disease progression. Its viral envelope sequences, particularly in the third variable region (V3), are highly divergent from other major subtypes yet have rarely been studied to date. We evaluated the V3 and select bridging sheet residues of the HIV-1D 94UG114 envelope by alanine-scanning mutagenesis to determine the residues involved in CCR5 usage conservation in the face of sequence variability. We found most single alanine mutations capable of abolishing CCR5 binding, suggesting binding contacts that are highly sensitive to mutation. Despite drastic binding defects across the board, most mutants mediated fusion at or near wild-type levels, demonstrating an ability to accommodate changes in CCR5 affinity while maintaining the ability to complete entry. Three of the alanine mutations did not abolish CCR5 binding but rather resulted in enhanced CCR5 binding. The positions of these residues were found to be conserved between strains of two subtypes, revealing similar V3 elements that suggest a conservation of constraints in V3 loop conformation.

Restricted HIV-1 replication in placental macrophages is caused by inefficient viral transcription.

HIV-infected PM show restricted replication as compared with MDM. We aimed to determine at what point in the viral replication cycle this restriction occurs in PM as compared with MDM. We performed Alu-LTR PCR for proviral DNA to detect differences in HIV integration, real-time RT-PCR to measure env and gag mRNA levels, and Western blot analysis to detect differences in viral protein expression. PM and MDM were infected with HIV-1 BaL, and DNA was extracted after 24 h and at 6 days p.i. for real-time PCR studies. At 6 and 12 days p.i., cells were lysed for Western blot analyses. We found no difference in viral integration between PM and MDM but significantly lower levels of viral protein gp120 in PM than in MDM. Real-time RT-PCR analyses revealed 24-fold less env mRNA and tenfold less gag mRNA in PM. These results suggest that HIV-1 restriction in PM occurs at the level of transcription. This study is significant, as it advances our understanding of HIV-1 infection in PM and its contribution to decreased in utero vertical transmission.

Tubular cell HIV-1 gp120 expression induces caspase 8 activation and apoptosis.

Renal biopsy data indicate that tubular epithelial cells serve as a reservoir for HIV-1 infection. We studied the effect of HIV-1 gp120 envelope gene expression on tubular cell apoptosis. HIV-1 gp120 was expressed in a lentiviral vector pHR-CMV-IRES2-EGFP-DeltaB. This plasmid construct was used to produce pseudotyped virus using VSV-G envelope to enhance the tropism for efficient viral transduction. Human proximal tubular (HK-2) cells were transduced and assayed for cellular injury by trypan blue exclusion, Hoechst and PI staining, TUNEL, and cell cycle staging. HIV-1 gp120-transduced HK-2 cells showed cellular injury in a time-dependent manner. Gp120-transduced cells showed 2.5-fold greater apoptosis when compared with vector-transduced cells. Cell cycle analysis did not reveal any alteration between gp120-transduced cells and vector-transduced cells. Gp120-transduced cells showed higher expression of both Fas and FasL, whereas pretreatment with anti-FasL antibody partially inhibited gp120-induced tubular cell apoptosis. Similarly, pretreatment with caspase-8 inhibitor attenuated gp120-induced HK2 cell apoptosis. Moreover, gp120-transduced cells showed activation of caspase 8. These results suggest that HIV-1 gp120 expression induces tubular cell apoptosis through the extrinsic pathway by enhancing Fas and FasL expression and activation of caspase-8.