Single-cell transcriptomics identifies prothymosin α restriction of HIV-1 in vivo.

ABSTRACT: Host restriction factors play key roles in innate antiviral defense, but it remains poorly understood which of them restricts HIV-1 in vivo. Here, we used single-cell transcriptomic analysis to identify host factors associated with HIV-1 control during acute infection by correlating host gene expression with viral RNA abundance within individual cells. Wide sequencing of cells from one participant with the highest plasma viral load revealed that intracellular viral RNA transcription correlates inversely with expression of the gene PTMA, which encodes prothymosin α. This association was genome-wide significant (P_adjusted < 0.05) and was validated in 28 additional participants from Thailand and the Americas with HIV-1 CRF01_AE and subtype B infections, respectively.

SUBMITTER: Geretz A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11651363 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature