Identification of aryl hydrocarbon receptor as a barrier to HIV-1 infection and outgrowth in CD4⁺ T cells.

ABSTRACT: The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) regulates Th17-polarized CD4⁺ T cell functions, but its role in HIV-1 replication/outgrowth remains unknown. Genetic (CRISPR-Cas9) and pharmacological inhibition reveal AhR as a barrier to HIV-1 replication in T cell receptor (TCR)-activated CD4⁺ T cells in vitro. In single-round vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV)-G-pseudotyped HIV-1 infection, AhR blockade increases the efficacy of early/late reverse transcription and subsequently facilitated integration/translation. Moreover, AhR blockade boosts viral outgrowth in CD4⁺ T cells of people living with HIV-1 (PLWH) receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART). Finally, RNA sequencing reveals genes/pathways downregulated by AhR blockade in CD4⁺ T cells of ART-treated PLWH

SUBMITTER: Chatterjee D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10592455 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature