Posttranscriptional Regulation of HIV-1 Gene Expression during Replication and Reactivation from Latency by Nuclear Matrix Protein MATR3

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Abstract
The life cycle of HIV-1 requires integration of a DNA copy into the genome of the host cell. Transcription of the viral genes generates RNAs that are exported to the cytoplasm with the contribution of viral and cellular factors to get translated or incorporated in the newly synthesized virions. It has been observed that highly effective antiretroviral therapy, which is able to reduce circulating virus to undetectable levels, cannot fully eradicate the virus from cellular reservoirs that harbor a transcriptionally latent provirus. Thus, persistence of latently infected cells is the major barrier to a cure for HIV-1 infection. In order to purge these reservoirs of latently infected cells, it has been proposed to activate transcription to stimulate the virus to complete its life cycle. This strategy is believed to unmask these reservoirs, making them vulnerable to the immune system. However, limited successes of this approach may indicate additional posttranscriptional restrictions that need to be overcome for full virus reactivation. In this work we identify the cellular protein MATR3 as an essential cofactor of viral RNA processing. Reactivation of HIV-1 transcription per se is not sufficient to allow completion of a full life cycle of the virus if MATR3 is depleted. Furthermore, MATR3 is poorly expressed in quiescent CD4 + T lymphocytes that are the major reservoir of latent HIV-1. Cells derived from aviremic HIV-1 patients under antiretroviral therapy didn’t express MATR3, and most importantly, latency-reversing agents proposed for the rescue of latent provirus were ineffective for MATR3 upregulation. To conclude, our work identifies a cellular factor required for full HIV-1 reactivation and points to the revision of the current strategies for purging viral reservoirs that focus only on transcription.
Funding Information
  • FRS-FNRS
  • Fondation Roi Baudouin
  • NEAT
  • University of Brussels
  • EC | Horizon 2020 Framework Programme (691119)
  • EC | Horizon 2020 Framework Programme (665778)

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