title: Promoter Targeting RNAs: Unexpected Contributors to the Control of HIV-1 Transcription.
abstract: In spite of prolonged and intensive treatment with combined antiretroviral therapy (cART), which efficiently suppresses plasma viremia, the integrated provirus of HIV-1 persists in resting memory CD4(+) T cells as latent infection. Treatment with cART does not substantially reduce the burden of latent infection. Once cART is ceased, HIV-1 replication recrudesces from these reservoirs in the overwhelming majority of patients. There is increasing evidence supporting a role for noncoding RNAs (ncRNA), including microRNAs (miRNAs), antisense (as)RNAs, and short interfering (si)RNA in the regulation of HIV-1 transcription. This appears to be mediated by interaction with the HIV-1 promoter region. Viral miRNAs have the potential to act as positive or negative regulators of HIV transcription. Moreover, inhibition of virally encoded long-asRNA can induce positive transcriptional regulation, while antisense strands of siRNA targeting the NF-κB region suppress viral transcription. An in-depth understanding of the interaction between ncRNAs and the HIV-1 U3 promoter region may lead to new approaches for the control of HIV reservoirs. This review focuses on promoter associated ncRNAs, with particular emphasis on their role in determining whether HIV-1 establishes active or latent infection.
authors.affiliation: 1] Immunovirology laboratory, St Vincent's Centre for Applied Medical Research, Darlinghurst, Australia [2] The Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: Kazuo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.affiliation: The Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: Chantelle
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ahlenstiel
authors.affiliation: Immunovirology laboratory, St Vincent's Centre for Applied Medical Research, Darlinghurst, Australia.
authors.forename: Katherine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Marks
authors.affiliation: 1] Immunovirology laboratory, St Vincent's Centre for Applied Medical Research, Darlinghurst, Australia [2] The Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: Anthony D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Kelleher