Study of the modulation of epigenetic factors involved in the early stages of HIV-1 infection in resting TCD4+ cells

• Grant number: 13/09678-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: August 01, 2013
• End date: July 31, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Microbiology - Biology and Physiology of Microorganisms
• Principal Investigator: Luiz Mário Ramos Janini
• Grantee: Jorge Meneses Nunes
• Host Institution: Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus São Paulo. São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The term epigenetic refers to a set of changes in gene expression without changing the DNA sequence. The epigenetic mechanisms are involved in various phenomena not yet elucidated, including genetic diseases, aging and cancer. These mechanisms can also be modified by pathogens such as the HIV-1. Current trends in research on HIV-1/AIDS and epigenetic changes have focused on elucidating the effect of these phenomena on the viral genome, and how this is reflected on the virus life cycle, particularly latency. However, little has been discussed about the relationship between HIV-1 and possible epigenetic modifications on the host cell genome. Several studies have related epigenetic mechanisms to HIV-1 latency, which is a late event of the HIV-1 life cycle. In contrast, the epigenetic mechanisms involved in the early stages of HIV-1 infection remain unclear. The aim of this study is to investigate which epigenetic factors are modulated in the early stages of HIV-1 infection in resting TCD4+ cells. For this purpose, we will analyze changes in global DNA methylation, modulation of gene expression and protein expression after infecting these cells with HIV-1. The results of this analysis will also be compared to the kinetics of viral transcripts production. The study of epigenetic modulations during early stages of HIV-1 infection may contribute to a better understanding of virus-host interactions and to the development of new strategies for treating AIDS.

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

NUNES, JORGE MENESES; FURTADO, MARIA NADIEGE; DE MORAIS NUNES, EDSEL RENATA; ARARIPE SUCUPIRA, MARIA CECILIA; DIAZ, RICARDO SOBHIE; RAMOS JANINI, LUIZ MARIO. Modulation of epigenetic factors during the early stages of HIV-1 infection in CD4(+) T cells in vitro. VIROLOGY, v. 523, p. 41-51, OCT 2018. (12/12830-5, 13/09678-0)