About this Research Topic
The life cycle of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is influenced by host chromatin and cellular factors, which play a significant role in determining the fate of integrated proviruses. The site of proviral DNA integration, associated with linear and 3D genomic features, dictates the status of provirus transcription and reactivation from latency. On the other hand, the unintegrated forms of HIV DNA have been reported to play an exigent role in HIV pathogenesis. Elucidating the mechanistic interplay between diverse HIV DNA forms and the host chromatin and cellular factors would pave the way for understanding HIV pathogenesis as a whole.
HIV pathogenesis is a complicated and dynamic progression intertwining the intrinsic functions of viral proteins with extrinsic environmental aspects such as multiple host cellular factors and immune responses in genomic space. Current studies primarily focus on either the correlation between the HIV insertional/transcriptional landscape and features throughout the chromosome or the immune response triggered by both unintegrated and integrated proviruses. However, the potential interaction between unintegrated and integrated proviruses coupled with chromosomal features and host immunity requires further exploration. Therefore, this research topic aims to gather missing pieces of information about this essential trinity. Our goal is to reinforce our current understanding of the mechanistic interplay involving chromatinization statuses of unintegrated or integrated proviruses, chromosomal features, and immune responses, that contribute to HIV transcription and reactivation from latency.
Throughout its life cycle, HIV appears in unintegrated forms (including pre-integrated and circular forms) as well as integrated forms of HIV DNA. It interacts with distinct host cellular factors and/or chromatin that dictate different outcomes for the fate of viruses (productive infection or transcriptional silencing). This research topic welcomes submissions exploring the interplay between HIV DNA and chromatin/host cellular factors and their relationship to host immunity. This may reveal insights into the nature of unintegrated- and integrated retroviral DNAs. In addition to Virology-, Molecular Biology- and omics approaches, in silico studies (i.e. machine learning-based approaches) are very much welcome.
• The role of chromatinization of unintegrated HIV DNAs and its impact on host immunity.
• HIV DNA integration sites associated with chromosomal- and 3D genomic features that impact the status of viral transcription and reactivation in various types of cells.
• Understanding the topology and dynamics of HIV-human gene regulatory and signaling networks, co-expression networks, and protein-protein networks.
• Determining the critical pathways and key host cellular factors involved in cellular and immune responses to infection and viral escape from host defense mechanisms.
• New anti-HIV therapeutic and prophylactic strategies and functional cures developed based on network-based analyses of Big Data/omics data.
• Understanding the topology and dynamics of HIV-human gene regulatory and signaling networks, co-expression networks, and protein-protein networks.
• Determining the critical pathways and key host cellular factors involved in cellular and immune responses to infection and viral escape from host defense mechanisms.
• New anti-HIV therapeutic and prophylactic strategies and functional cures developed based on network-based analyses of Big Data/omics data.
HIV pathogenesis is a complicated and dynamic progression intertwining the intrinsic functions of viral proteins with extrinsic environmental aspects such as multiple host cellular factors and immune responses in genomic space. Current studies primarily focus on either the correlation between the HIV insertional/transcriptional landscape and features throughout the chromosome or the immune response triggered by both unintegrated and integrated proviruses. However, the potential interaction between unintegrated and integrated proviruses coupled with chromosomal features and host immunity requires further exploration. Therefore, this research topic aims to gather missing pieces of information about this essential trinity. Our goal is to reinforce our current understanding of the mechanistic interplay involving chromatinization statuses of unintegrated or integrated proviruses, chromosomal features, and immune responses, that contribute to HIV transcription and reactivation from latency.
Throughout its life cycle, HIV appears in unintegrated forms (including pre-integrated and circular forms) as well as integrated forms of HIV DNA. It interacts with distinct host cellular factors and/or chromatin that dictate different outcomes for the fate of viruses (productive infection or transcriptional silencing). This research topic welcomes submissions exploring the interplay between HIV DNA and chromatin/host cellular factors and their relationship to host immunity. This may reveal insights into the nature of unintegrated- and integrated retroviral DNAs. In addition to Virology-, Molecular Biology- and omics approaches, in silico studies (i.e. machine learning-based approaches) are very much welcome.
• The role of chromatinization of unintegrated HIV DNAs and its impact on host immunity.
• HIV DNA integration sites associated with chromosomal- and 3D genomic features that impact the status of viral transcription and reactivation in various types of cells.
• Understanding the topology and dynamics of HIV-human gene regulatory and signaling networks, co-expression networks, and protein-protein networks.
• Determining the critical pathways and key host cellular factors involved in cellular and immune responses to infection and viral escape from host defense mechanisms.
• New anti-HIV therapeutic and prophylactic strategies and functional cures developed based on network-based analyses of Big Data/omics data.
• Understanding the topology and dynamics of HIV-human gene regulatory and signaling networks, co-expression networks, and protein-protein networks.
• Determining the critical pathways and key host cellular factors involved in cellular and immune responses to infection and viral escape from host defense mechanisms.
• New anti-HIV therapeutic and prophylactic strategies and functional cures developed based on network-based analyses of Big Data/omics data.
Keywords: Chromatinization of unintegrated HIV DNA; HIV DNA integration; HIV transcription and reactivation; HIV latent reservoirs; chromatin and 3D genome; immunity; network-based analysis and omics approaches
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