Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0019693 (HIV)
 170,526 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

GLI proteins are involved in the development of mice, humans, zebrafish, Caenorhabditis elegans, Xenopus, and Drosophila. While these zinc finger-containing proteins bind to TG-rich promoter elements and are known to regulate gene expression in C. elegans and Drosophila, mechanistic understanding of how regulation is mediated through naturally occurring transcriptional promoters is lacking. One isoform of human GLI-2 appears to be identical to a factor previously called Tax helper protein (THP), thus named due to its ability to interact with a TG-rich element in the human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) enhancer thought to mediate transcriptional stimulation by the Tax protein of HTLV-1. We now demonstrate that, working through its TG-rich binding site and adjacent elements, GLI-2/THP actually suppresses gene expression driven by the HTLV-1 promoter. GLI-2/THP has no effect on the HTLV-2 promoter, activates expression from the promoters of human immunodeficiency virus types 1 and (HIV-1 and -2), and stimulates HIV-1 replication. Both effective suppression and activation of gene expression and viral replication require the first of the five zinc fingers, which is not necessary for DNA binding, to be intact. Thus, not only can GLI-2/THP either activate or suppress gene expression, depending on the promoter, but the same domain (first zinc finger) mediates both effects. These findings suggest a role for GLI-2 in retroviral gene regulation and shed further light on the mechanisms by which GLI proteins regulate naturally occurring promoters.
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PMID:GLI-2 modulates retroviral gene expression. 1116 Jul 33

Genomic RNA isolated from HIV-1 variously mutated in nucleocapsid protein (NC) was characterized by nondenaturing gel electrophoresis. Mutations in the C-terminal, the N-terminal, and the linker regions had no effect on genomic RNA dimerization [they are R7R10K11S, P31L, R32G, S3(32-34), and K59L], while a C36S/C39S mutation in the distal zinc knuckle (Cys-His box or zinc finger) inhibited genome dimerization as much as disrupting the kissing-loop domain. The four mutations which inhibited tRNA(Lys3) genomic placement (i.e., the in vivo placement of tRNA(Lys3) on the primer binding site) had no effect on genome dimerization. Among five mutations which inhibited genome packaging, four had no effect on genome dimerization. Thus the N-terminal and linker regions of NC control genome packaging/tRNA(Lys3) placement (two processes which do not require mature NC) but have little influence on genome dimerization and 2-base extension of tRNA(Lys3) (two processes which are likely to require mature NC). It has been suggested, based on electron microscopy, that the AAGCUU82 palindrome crowning the R-U5 hairpin stimulates genomic RNA dimerization. To test this hypothesis, we deleted AGCU81 from wild-type viruses and from viruses bearing a disrupted kissing-loop hairpin or kissing-loop domain; in another mutant, we duplicated AGCU81. The loss of AGCU81 reduced dimerization by 2.5 +/- 4%; its duplication increased it by 3 +/- 6%. Dissociation temperature was left unchanged. We reach two conclusions. First, the palindrome crowning the R-U5 hairpin has no impact on HIV-1 genome dimerization. Second, genomic RNA dimerization is differentially influenced by NC sequence: it is Zn finger dependent but independent of the basic nature of the N-terminal and linker subdomains. We propose that the NC regions implicated in 2-base extension of tRNA(Lys3) are required for a second (maturation) step of tRNA placement. Genome dimerization and mature tRNA placement would then become two RNA-RNA interactions sharing similar NC sequence requirements.
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PMID:Role of distal zinc finger of nucleocapsid protein in genomic RNA dimerization of human immunodeficiency virus type 1; no role for the palindrome crowning the R-U5 hairpin. 1122 1

Tip60 was originally identified as cellular HIV-Tat interacting protein and has been shown to augment Tat-dependent transcription. It has also been shown to interact with various cellular transcription factors and to belong to the nuclear histone acetyltransferase (HAT) family. To further elucidate the function of Tip60 and its HAT domain in transcription regulation, we compared Tip60 activity in HeLa and Jurkat T lymphoma cells. Here we show that Tip60 augments the HIV-1 Tat activity at the HIV-LTR promoter in HeLa but inhibits it in Jurkat cells. Moreover, we isolated two new variants of the Tip60 protein (Tip60Delta1, Tip60Delta2) from Jurkat cells. The Tip60Delta2 variant lacks the entire HAT domain but modulates HIV-1 Tat activity like full-length Tip60. In addition, Tip60 and the transcriptional repressor ZEB (zinc finger E box binding protein) interact specifically in the yeast two-hybrid system and additively inhibit the CD4 enhancer/promoter activity in Jurkat cells. Thus, Tip60 may function as corepressor of the ZEB protein. In summary, these data show that Tip60 functions as a cell-type-specific transcriptional regulator and that the HAT domain is not required for either transcriptional activation or inhibition. This indicates that Tip60 may function by recruiting additional cell-type-specific cofactors.
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PMID:Tip60 is a cell-type-specific transcriptional regulator. 1127 65

Ions of structure R(2)N[N(O)NO](-) and their alkylation products have seen increasing use as nitric oxide (NO)-generating agents for biomedical research applications. Here we show that such diazeniumdiolate anions can readily displace halide from a variety of electrophilic aza- or nitroaromatic substrates to form O(2)-arylated derivatives of structure R(2)N-N(O)=N-OAr. The site of arylation and the cis arrangement of the oxygens were confirmed by X-ray crystallography. Displacement by various nucleophiles showed R(2)N[N(O)NO](-) to be a reasonably good leaving group, with rate constants for displacement by hydroxide, methoxide, and isopropylamine that were between those of chloride and fluoride in the S(N)Ar reactions we surveyed. The Meisenheimer intermediate could be spectrally observed. These O(2)-aryl diazeniumdiolates proved capable of reacting with the nucleophilic sulfur of the HIV-1 p7 nucleocapsid protein's zinc finger assembly to eject the zinc, disrupting a structural motif critical to viral replication and suggesting possible utility in the drug discovery realm.
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PMID:The secondary amine/nitric oxide complex ion R(2)N[N(O)NO](-) as nucleophile and leaving group in S9N)Ar reactions. 1132 74

The nucleocapsid protein (NC) of HIV type 1 is a nucleic acid chaperone that facilitates the rearrangement of nucleic acids into conformations containing the maximum number of complementary base pairs. We use an optical tweezers instrument to stretch single DNA molecules from the helix to coil state at room temperature in the presence of NC and a mutant form (SSHS NC) that lacks the two zinc finger structures present in NC. Although both NC and SSHS NC facilitate annealing of complementary strands through electrostatic attraction, only NC destabilizes the helical form of DNA and reduces the cooperativity of the helix-coil transition. In particular, we find that the helix-coil transition free energy at room temperature is significantly reduced in the presence of NC. Thus, upon NC binding, it is likely that thermodynamic fluctuations cause continuous melting and reannealing of base pairs so that DNA strands are able to rapidly sample configurations to find the lowest energy state. The reduced cooperativity allows these fluctuations to occur in the middle of complex double-stranded structures. The reduced stability and cooperativity, coupled with the electrostatic attraction generated by the high charge density of NC, is responsible for the nucleic acid chaperone activity of this protein.
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PMID:Mechanism for nucleic acid chaperone activity of HIV-1 nucleocapsid protein revealed by single molecule stretching. 1134 57

Researchers are investigating aspects of the life cycle of HIV that can be exploited by new drugs. Promising compounds include those that block the fusion of HIV to cells; dextran sulfate is an example of such a drug. Reverse transcriptase inhibitors continue to receive attention, with the focus placed on dealing with the resistance that HIV develops to this class of drugs. Other studies are targeting HIV integrase, an enzyme that integrates HIV genetic material into the host cell's DNA, as the next important target of antiretroviral therapy. Two zinc finger inhibitors are currently in clinical trials, one of which is about to enter phase I/II dose-ranging studies. Finally, several novel protease inhibitors are in development. Pharmacia and Upjohn are developing a protease inhibitor that is relatively easy to make and is active against HIV.
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PMID:New wave antiretrovirals. 1136 38

A new generation of protease inhibitors is entering studies. Abbott Lab's ABT-378 and Pharmacia/Upjohn's PNU-140690 are beginning clinical studies and both are designed to overcome resistance problems. Several companies are developing new compounds to inhibit reverse transcriptase, such as Bristol-Myers Squibb's lobucavir and Hoechst/Bayer's HBY097. Calanolide A, which will soon begin trials, has a different resistance pattern than other non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors, which may be an important advantage. Several groups are developing compounds to inhibit the HIV zinc finger, such as Parke-Davis' compound, CI-1012; and a Dutch company who is developing Azodicarbonamide, a drug currently in phase I/II trials for people with advanced disease in Europe. HIV drugs to date have not been successful in blocking viral fusion. However, three new fusion inhibitors are showing promise within the laboratory: Pentafuside (currently in phase I trials), Fuji ImmunoPharmaceuticals' FP-21399 (currently in phase I trials), and ISIS Pharmaceuticals' ISIS 5320. A new class of drugs known as integrase inhibitors has been of interest to pharmaceutical companies for the past several years; only one drug, Aronex Pharmaceuticals' Zintevir, has reached phase I/II trials.
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PMID:Protease inhibitors and beyond. 1136 10

Zinc finger inhibitors are a class of anti-HIV drugs currently under development and entering clinical trials. The drugs block a part of HIV known as zinc fingers, which help assemble new viruses as they leave an infected cell. Blocking zinc fingers means that HIV makes copies of itself that do not work and cannot infect new cells. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is studying the zinc finger inhibitor, C1-1012.
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PMID:Zinc finger inhibitor for HIV. 1136 80

Presentations at the Fifth Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections focused on new and novel HIV treatments. Four new agents in advanced testing are described: abacavir (1592), efavirenz (DMP-266), adefovir dipivoxil (bis-POM PMEA), and amprenavir (141W94). Other new drugs are being developed; however, the drugs are not as far along in the testing and approval process. The new drugs include integrase inhibitors, zinc finger inhibitors, cyclams and bycyclams, fusion inhibitors, and CKR-5 gene therapy. A summary of each drug is provided.
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PMID:Novel approaches for the treatment of HIV. 1136 50

Nucleocapsid (NC) protein possesses nucleotide-annealing activities, which are used in various processes in retroviral life cycle. As conserved characters, the NC proteins have one or two zinc fingers of CX(2)CX(4)HX(4)C motif surrounded by basic amino acid sequences. Requirement of the zinc fingers for the annealing activities of NC protein remains controversial. In this study, we focused the requirement in the process of maturation of dimeric viral RNA. Discrimination between immature and mature dimers of synthetic RNA corresponding to the dimerization initiation site of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) genomic RNA was performed based on their Mg(2+)-dependent stability in gel electrophoreses and on their distinct signal pattern from NMR analysis of imino protons. Chaperoning activity of the HIV-1 NC protein, NCp7, and its fragments for maturation of dimeric RNA was investigated using these experimental systems. We found that the two basic regions flanking the N-terminal zinc finger of NCp7, which are connected by two glycine residues instead of the zinc finger, were sufficient, although about 10 times the amounts of peptide were needed in comparison with intact NCp7. Further, it was found that the amount of basic residues rather than the amino acid sequence itself is important for the activity. The zinc fingers may involve the binding affinity and/or such a possible specific binding of NCp7 to dimerization initiation site dimer that leads to the maturation reaction.
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PMID:Two basic regions of NCp7 are sufficient for conformational conversion of HIV-1 dimerization initiation site from kissing-loop dimer to extended-duplex dimer. 1141 9


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