CD4+ T cells from elite controllers resist HIV-1 infection by selective upregulation of p21
Huabiao Chen, … , Xu G. Yu, Mathias Lichterfeld
Huabiao Chen, … , Xu G. Yu, Mathias Lichterfeld
Published March 14, 2011
Citation Information: J Clin Invest. 2011;121(4):1549-1560. https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI44539.
View: Text | PDF
Research Article AIDS/HIV

CD4+ T cells from elite controllers resist HIV-1 infection by selective upregulation of p21

Abstract

Elite controllers represent a unique group of HIV-1–infected persons with undetectable HIV-1 replication in the absence of antiretroviral therapy. However, the mechanisms contributing to effective viral immune defense in these patients remain unclear. Here, we show that compared with HIV-1 progressors and HIV-1–negative persons, CD4+ T cells from elite controllers are less susceptible to HIV-1 infection. This partial resistance to HIV-1 infection involved less effective reverse transcription and mRNA transcription from proviral DNA and was associated with strong and selective upregulation of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21 (also known as cip-1 and waf-1). Experimental blockade of p21 in CD4+ T cells from elite controllers resulted in a marked increase of viral reverse transcripts and mRNA production and led to higher enzymatic activities of cyclin-dependent kinase 9 (CDK9), which serves as a transcriptional coactivator of HIV-1 gene expression. This suggests that p21 acts as a barrier against HIV-1 infection in CD4+ T cells from elite controllers by inhibiting a cyclin-dependent kinase required for effective HIV-1 replication. These data demonstrate a mechanism of host resistance to HIV-1 in elite controllers and may open novel perspectives for clinical strategies to prevent or treat HIV-1 infection.

Authors

Huabiao Chen, Chun Li, Jinghe Huang, Thai Cung, Katherine Seiss, Jill Beamon, Mary F. Carrington, Lindsay C. Porter, Patrick S. Burke, Yue Yang, Bethany J. Ryan, Ruiwu Liu, Robert H. Weiss, Florencia Pereyra, William D. Cress, Abraham L. Brass, Eric S. Rosenberg, Bruce D. Walker, Xu G. Yu, Mathias Lichterfeld

×
Problems with a PDF?

This file is in Adobe Acrobat (PDF) format. If you have not installed and configured the Adobe Acrobat Reader on your system.

Having trouble reading a PDF?

PDFs are designed to be printed out and read, but if you prefer to read them online, you may find it easier if you increase the view size to 125%.

Having trouble saving a PDF?

Many versions of the free Acrobat Reader do not allow Save. You must instead save the PDF from the JCI Online page you downloaded it from. PC users: Right-click on the Download link and choose the option that says something like "Save Link As...". Mac users should hold the mouse button down on the link to get these same options.

Having trouble printing a PDF?

  1. Try printing one page at a time or to a newer printer.
  2. Try saving the file to disk before printing rather than opening it "on the fly." This requires that you configure your browser to "Save" rather than "Launch Application" for the file type "application/pdf", and can usually be done in the "Helper Applications" options.
  3. Make sure you are using the latest version of Adobe's Acrobat Reader.

Supplemental data - Download (116.94 KB)

Advertisement