title: Anti-tat Hutat2:Fc mediated protection against tat-induced neurotoxicity and HIV-1 replication in human monocyte-derived macrophages.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  HIV-1 Tat is essential for HIV replication and is also a well-known neurotoxic factor causing HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND). Currently, combined antiretroviral therapy targeting HIV reverse transcriptase or protease cannot prevent the production of early viral proteins, especially Tat, once HIV infection has been established. HIV-infected macrophages and glial cells in the brain still release Tat into the extracellular space where it can exert direct and indirect neurotoxicity. Therefore, stable production of anti-Tat antibodies in the brain would neutralize HIV-1 Tat and thus provide an effective approach to protect neurons.
  
  
  METHODS
  We constructed a humanized anti-Tat Hutat2:Fc fusion protein with the goal of antagonizing HIV-1 Tat and delivered the gene into cell lines and primary human monocyte-derived macrophages (hMDM) by an HIV-based lentiviral vector. The function of the anti-Tat Hutat2:Fc fusion protein and the potential side effects of lentiviral vector-mediated gene transfer were evaluated in vitro.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our study demonstrated that HIV-1-based lentiviral vector-mediated gene transduction resulted in a high-level, stable expression of anti-HIV-1 Tat Hutat2:Fc in human neuronal and monocytic cell lines, as well as in primary hMDM. Hutat2:Fc was detectable in both cells and supernatants and continued to accumulate to high levels within the supernatant. Hutat2:Fc protected mouse cortical neurons against HIV-1 Tat86-induced neurotoxicity. In addition, both secreted Hutat2:Fc and transduced hMDM led to reducing HIV-1BaL viral replication in human macrophages. Moreover, lentiviral vector-based gene introduction did not result in any significant changes in cytomorphology and cell viability. Although the expression of IL8, STAT1, and IDO1 genes was up-regulated in transduced hMDM, such alternation in gene expression did not affect the neuroprotective effect of Hutat2:Fc.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study demonstrated that lentivirus-mediated gene transfer could efficiently deliver the Hutat2:Fc gene into primary hMDM and does not lead to any significant changes in hMDM immune-activation. The neuroprotective and HIV-1 suppressive effects produced by Hutat2:Fc were comparable to that of a full-length anti-Tat antibody. This study provides the foundation and insights for future research on the potential use of Hutat2:Fc as a novel gene therapy approach for HAND through utilizing monocytes/macrophages, which naturally cross the blood-brain barrier, for gene delivery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Tangdu Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, 569 Xinsi Road, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710038, China. kangwenkevin@gmail.com.|Department of Public Health Sciences, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii, 1960 East-west Road, Honolulu, HI, 96822, USA. kangwenkevin@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Wen
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.affiliation: Department of Cancer Immunology and AIDS, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, 50 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA, 02215, USA. wayne_marasco@dfci.harvard.edu.
authors.forename: Wayne A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Marasco
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Sciences, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii, 1960 East-west Road, Honolulu, HI, 96822, USA. hsini@hawaii.edu.
authors.forename: Hsin-I
authors.initials: HI
authors.lastname: Tong
authors.affiliation: Hawaii Center for AIDS, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii, 651 Ilalo St., BSB, Suite 231, Honolulu, HI, 96813, USA. marymargaretbyron@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Mary Margaret
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Byron
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Sciences, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii, 1960 East-west Road, Honolulu, HI, 96822, USA. chengxiangwu@hawaii.edu.
authors.forename: Chengxiang
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Sciences, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii, 1960 East-west Road, Honolulu, HI, 96822, USA. yingli@hawaii.edu.
authors.forename: Yingli
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Sciences, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii, 1960 East-west Road, Honolulu, HI, 96822, USA. sun44@hawaii.edu.
authors.forename: Si
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Tangdu Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, 569 Xinsi Road, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710038, China. yongtaos@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Yongtao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Sciences, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii, 1960 East-west Road, Honolulu, HI, 96822, USA. yuanan@hawaii.edu.
authors.forename: Yuanan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D057809:HEK293 Cells; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology* / Q000821:virology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009000:Monocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology* / Q000821:virology*; D020298:U937 Cells; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D054322:tat Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D054322:tat Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus