HIV-1 Replication and Pathogenesis Flashcards
How does Australia’s pattern of HIV transmission/distribution differ from the worldwide trends?
Australia: mostly MSM
Worldwide: mostly heterosexual women
List 6 behavioural and social factors promoting a heterosexually transmitted HIV epidemic
Little or no condom use Multiple partners Overlapping sexual partners Large sexual networks Age mixing (old men and young girls - due to pervasive myths about treatment of HIV) Women dependent on marriage/prostitution
List 3 biological factors promoting a heterosexually transmitted HIV epidemic
High STI rates (especially HSV-2, which accelerates HIV transmission)
High viral loads (due to lack of access to HAART)
Low rate of male circumcision
What type of virus is HIV?
Lentivirus (from the family retrovirus)
Describe the genome of HIV
Diploid, linear, 9.2kb
+sense ssRNA
What is the origin of HIV?
Zoonosis from chimpanzees
Describe the capsid of HIV
Icosahedral
Does HIV have an envelope?
Yes
What are the 2 glycoproteins located in the envelope of HIV-1 and what are their roles?
SU-surface (gp-120): for cell attachment
TM- transmembrane (gp-41): fusion domain and anchors SU into the membrane
What are the 3 proteins located in the virion interior (Gag proteins)?
MA-matrix: connects to and encloses the cone-shaped capsid
CA-capsid: encloses the nucleocapsid and important enzymes involved in viral replication
NC-nucleocapsid: encloses RNA genome
What are the 3 viral enzymes of HIV and what are their roles?
RT-reverse transcriptase
IN-integrase
PR-protease
How is the envelope of HIV-1 produced?
Lipid bilayer derived from host cell plasma membrane during budding (also contains viral GPs)
What are Gag proteins?
Structural proteins of the capsid, matrix, core and nucleocapsid
What are Pol proteins? How are they expressed?
Viral enzymes including protease, reverse transcriptase, RNAse H, integrase
Expressed as a Gag-Pol polyprotein before autocleavage
How are envelope glycoproteins expressed?
From a spliced mRNA
Describe the HIV-1 replication cycle
Viral particle binds to CD4 receptors on T-lymphocytes and macrophages
Fusion event causes release of the matrix, capsid and core into the host cell
Reverse transcription of the viral +sense ssRNA into cDNA occurs within the capsid
The provirus cDNA is incorporated into the host cell DNA
Provirus is transcribed, spliced and translated into protein to produce virions and genomic RNA
Virion is assembled and buds out from the host cell, taking part of the plasma membrane as its envelope
Virion matures (aided by activity of viral protease)
What is 1 important mechanism by which HIV is able to evade immunity and how does it achieve this?
High degree of variability for Gag and Env proteins means it is difficult for the host to produce a specific immune response to the virus
Mutations are introduced during reverse transcription of the virus +sense ssRNA into cDNA
Describe the process of membrane fusion which occurs during entry of HIV-1
Virion attaches to host cell via non-specific cell receptors including C-type lectin receptors (CLRs)
CD4 binding induces conformational changes in gp120
Conformational change exposes chemokine coreceptor sites (including CCR5, CXCR4) which bind to promote gp41 fusion and peptide insertion
Structural rearrangement of gp41 trimers drives membrane fusion to release the core of the virus into the host cell
Give 2 examples of CLRs
DC-SIGN or mannose R on astrocytes
When in the course of an infection is CCR5 used?
Early (CXCR4 late)
Are HIV virions which use CCR5 M-tropic or T-tropic? What does this mean?
M-tropic
Mainly infect macrophages and do not form syncytium
Are HIV virions which use CXCR4 M-tropic or T-tropic? What does this mean?
T-tropic
Mainly infect T cells and can form syncytium
What is syncytium?
A multinucleated cell resulting from the fusion of multiple uninuclear cells
What is the difference in pathogenicity between CCR5 and CXCR4 HIV virions?
CCR5 have moderate virulence
CXCR4 have high virulence