title: SAMHD1 in Retroviral Restriction and Innate Immune Sensing--Should We Leash the Hound?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The antiviral restriction factor SAM domain and HD domain-containing protein 1 (SAMHD1) is a dNTP triphosphohydrolase and thereby contributes to the regulation of intracellular dNTP levels. SAMHD1 blocks retroviral infection at the level of reverse transcription in myeloid cells and resting CD4+ T cells and is counteracted by the accessory protein Vpx, which is encoded by human immunodeficiency virus 2 (HIV-2) and several simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) strains. Recently, it has been shown that the antiviral activity of SAMHD1 in myeloid dendritic cells (DC) hampers the induction of an efficient immune response directed against HIV-1.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Within this review, we will summarize recent advances on the biology of SAMHD1 and its function as an antiviral restriction factor. In addition, we will discuss its role in autoimmunity and the antiviral immune response directed against HIV-1 and will evaluate the possibility of modulating SAMHD1 activity to generate an enhanced antiretroviral immune response.
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Herrmann
authors.forename: Anna-Ursula
authors.initials: AU
authors.lastname: Happel
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical and Molecular Virology, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Schlossgarten 4, 91054 Erlangen, Germany. thomas.gramberg@fau.de.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gramberg
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015551:Autoimmunity; D060467:Disease Resistance; D055808:Drug Discovery; D006678:HIV / Q000502:physiology*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D056747:Immunomodulation; D020559:Monomeric GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011485:Protein Binding; D000076106:SAM Domain and HD Domain-Containing Protein 1; D015302:Simian Immunodeficiency Virus / Q000502:physiology; D054334:Viral Regulatory and Accessory Proteins; D014779:Virus Replication; D054325:vpr Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; C513059:VPX protein, Simian immunodeficiency virus; D054334:Viral Regulatory and Accessory Proteins; D054325:vpr Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus; D000076106:SAM Domain and HD Domain-Containing Protein 1; C484280:SAMHD1 protein, human; D020559:Monomeric GTP-Binding Proteins