AUTHOR=Wang Zhuo , Yin Xiaowan , Ma Meichen , Ge Hongchi , Lang Bin , Sun Hong , He Sijia , Fu Yajing , Sun Yu , Yu Xiaowen , Zhang Zining , Cui Hualu , Han Xiaoxu , Xu Junjie , Ding Haibo , Chu Zhenxing , Shang Hong , Wu Yuntao , Jiang Yongjun 

TITLE=IP-10 Promotes Latent HIV Infection in Resting Memory CD4+ T Cells via LIMK-Cofilin Pathway

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Immunology

VOLUME=Volume 12 - 2021

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/immunology/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2021.656663

DOI=10.3389/fimmu.2021.656663

ISSN=1664-3224

ABSTRACT=A major barrier to HIV eradication is the persistence of viral reservoirs. Resting memory CD4+ T cells are thought to be a major viral reservoir, but the mechanism underlying their latent infection by HIV is poorly understood. Our results suggest that plasma IP-10 was elevated in HIV-infected individuals, which was positively correlated with HIV viral load and viral reservoir size. We are therefore investigated the role of IP-10 in the establishment of HIV reservoir. We found that IP-10, binding to CXCR3, enhanced latent HIV infection of resting memory CD4+ T cell. IP-10 facilitated HIV entry and DNA integration and promoted cofilin phosphorylation and actin polymerization. Moreover, LIM kinase inhibitor and actin inhibitor treatments abrogated IP-10-mediated enhancement of latent infection by HIV. These results indicate that IP-10 is a critical factor involved in latent HIV infection, therapeutic targeting of IP-10 is a potential strategy for abolishing latent HIV infection.