Open AccessAn inhibitor of the Tat/TAR RNA interaction that effectively suppresses HIV-1 replication
Author(s) -
François Hamy,
E. Felder,
Gerhard Heizmann,
Janis L Lazdins,
Fareed Aboulela,
Gabriele Varani,
Jonathan Karn,
Thomas Klimkait
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
proceedings of the national academy of sciences of the united states of america
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.011
H-Index - 771
eISSN - 1091-6490
pISSN - 0027-8424
DOI - 10.1073/pnas.94.8.3548
Subject(s) - rna , tar (computing) , transcription (linguistics) , in vitro , microbiology and biotechnology , gene expression , chemistry , in vivo , biology , gene , biochemistry , linguistics , philosophy , computer science , programming language
One of the first steps in HIV gene expression is the recruitment of Tat protein to the transcription machinery after its binding to the RNA response element TAR. Starting from a pool of 3.2 × 106 individual chemical entities, we were able to select a hybrid peptoid/peptide oligomer of 9 residues (CGP64222) that was able to block the formation of the Tat/TAR RNA complexin vitro at nanomolar concentrations. NMR studies demonstrated that the compound binds similarly to polypeptides derived from the Tat protein and induces a conformational change in TAR RNA at the Tat-binding site. In addition, 10–30 μM CGP64222 specifically inhibited Tat activity in a cellular Tat-dependent trans-activation assay [fusion-induced gene stimulation (FIGS) assay] and blocked HIV-1 replication in primary human lymphocytes. By contrast, peptides of a comparable size and side-chain composition inhibited cell fusion in the FIGS assay and only partially inhibited HIV-1 replication in primary human lymphocytes. Thus, we have discovered a compound, CGP64222, that specifically inhibits the Tat/TAR RNA interaction, bothin vitro andin vivo.