Non-POU Domain-Containing Octamer-Binding Protein Negatively Regulates HIV-1 Infection in CD4(+) T Cells

AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses. 2015 Aug;31(8):806-16. doi: 10.1089/AID.2014.0313. Epub 2015 Apr 6.

Abstract

HIV-1 interacts with numerous cellular proteins during viral replication. Identifying such host proteins and characterizing their roles in HIV-1 infection can deepen our understanding of the dynamic interplay between host and pathogen. We previously identified non-POU domain-containing octamer-binding protein (NonO or p54nrb) as one of host factors associated with catalytically active preintegration complexes (PIC) of HIV-1 in infected CD4(+) T cells. NonO is involved in nuclear processes including transcriptional regulation and RNA splicing. Although NonO has been identified as an HIV-1 interactant in several recent studies, its role in HIV-1 replication has not been characterized. We investigated the effect of NonO on the HIV-1 life cycle in CD4(+) T cell lines and primary CD4(+) T cells using single-cycle and replication-competent HIV-1 infection assays. We observed that short hairpin RNA (shRNA)-mediated stable NonO knockdown in a CD4(+) Jurkat T cell line and primary CD4(+) T cells did not affect cell viability or proliferation, but enhanced HIV-1 infection. The enhancement of HIV-1 infection in Jurkat T cells correlated with increased viral reverse transcription and gene expression. Knockdown of NonO expression in Jurkat T cells modestly enhanced HIV-1 gag mRNA expression and Gag protein synthesis, suggesting that viral gene expression and RNA regulation are the predominantly affected events causing enhanced HIV-1 replication in NonO knockdown (KD) cells. Furthermore, overexpression of NonO in Jurkat T cells reduced HIV-1 single-cycle infection by 41% compared to control cells. Our data suggest that NonO negatively regulates HIV-1 infection in CD4(+) T cells, albeit it has modest effects on early and late stages of the viral life cycle, highlighting the importance of host proteins associated with HIV-1 PIC in regulating viral replication.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / virology*
  • Cells, Cultured
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • Gene Knockdown Techniques
  • HIV-1 / immunology*
  • HIV-1 / physiology*
  • Host-Pathogen Interactions*
  • Humans
  • Nuclear Matrix-Associated Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Nuclear Matrix-Associated Proteins / metabolism*
  • Octamer Transcription Factors / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Octamer Transcription Factors / metabolism*
  • RNA-Binding Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors
  • RNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism*
  • Virus Replication*

Substances

  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • NONO protein, human
  • Nuclear Matrix-Associated Proteins
  • Octamer Transcription Factors
  • RNA-Binding Proteins