The interferon-regulated 2-5A/RNase L pathway plays a major role in the antiviral and antiproliferative activities of these cytokines. Several viruses, however, have evolved strategies to escape the antiviral activity of the 2-5A/RNase L pathway. In this context, we have cloned a cDNA coding for the RNase L inhibitor (RLI), a protein that specifically inhibits RNase L and whose regulated expression in picornavirus-infected cells down regulates the activity of the 2-5A/RNase L pathway. We show here that RLI increases during the course of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection, which may be related to the downregulation of RNase L activity that has been described to occur in HIV-infected cells. In order to establish a possible causal relationship between these observations, we have stably transfected H9 cells with RLI sense or antisense cDNA-expressing vectors. The overexpression of RLI causes a decrease in RNase L activity and a twofold enhancement of HIV production. This increase in HIV replication correlates with an increase in HIV RNA and proteins. In contrast, reduction of RLI levels in RLI antisense cDNA-expressing clones reverses the inhibition of RNase L activity associated with HIV multiplication and leads to a threefold decrease in the viral load. This anti-HIV activity correlated with a decrease in HIV RNA and proteins. These findings demonstrate that the level of RLI, via its modulation of RNase L activity, can severely impair HIV replication and suggest the involvement of RLI in the inhibition of the 2-5A/RNase L system observed during HIV infection.
RNase L inhibitor is induced during human immunodeficiency virus type 1 infection and down regulates the 2-5A/RNase L pathway in human T cells
Martinand, C.; Montavon, C.; Salehzada, T.; Silhol, M.; Lebleu, B.; Bisbal, C.
1999
J Virol
1999-01 / vol 73 / pages 290-6
Abstract
Tags
Humans; Down-Regulation; Virus Replication; Cell Line; Transfection; HIV-1/*physiology; Endoribonucleases/*antagonists & inhibitors/metabolism; Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/*metabolism; Adenine Nucleotides/*antagonists & inhibitors; Enzyme Inhibitors/*metabolism; Oligoribonucleotides/*antagonists & inhibitors