In vitro HIV DNA integration in STAT3 drives T cell persistence-A model of HIV-associated T cell lymphoma.

Oncogenic retroviruses are known for their pathogenesis via insertional mutagenesis, in which the presence of a provirus and its transcriptional control elements alter the expression of a nearby or surrounding host gene. There are reports of proviral integration driving oncogenesis in people with HI...

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Main Authors: Michael Rist, Machika Kaku, John M Coffin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2025-07-01
Series:PLoS Pathogens
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1013087
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author Michael Rist
Machika Kaku
John M Coffin
author_facet Michael Rist
Machika Kaku
John M Coffin
author_sort Michael Rist
collection DOAJ
description Oncogenic retroviruses are known for their pathogenesis via insertional mutagenesis, in which the presence of a provirus and its transcriptional control elements alter the expression of a nearby or surrounding host gene. There are reports of proviral integration driving oncogenesis in people with HIV and the use of HIV-derived vectors for gene therapy has raised concern about oncogenic side effects. To study this issue, we used an in vitro primary human CD4 + T cell infection model developed in our laboratory to identify HIV-1 integration sites that might influence cell proliferation or survival. Combining integration site analysis and bulk RNA sequencing, we found that an upregulated STAT3 signature due to proviral insertional mutagenesis was associated with persistent HIV-infected CD4 + T cells. HIV+ persistent cells also expressed a STAT3-related anti-apoptotic and cytotoxic phenotype that resembles that of HIV-associated T cell lymphomas. HIV insertional mutagenesis of STAT3 and expression of its downstream targets provides a model of HIV-associated T cell lymphomas that can be used to further determine the oncogenic drivers of HIV-associated lymphomas, both AIDS- and gene therapy-associated, and, potentially, to evaluate therapeutics against these HIV-associated cancers.
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spelling doaj-art-e0d08a21647443e58578fdbaf12ee5c42025-08-20T03:13:21ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS Pathogens1553-73661553-73742025-07-01217e101308710.1371/journal.ppat.1013087In vitro HIV DNA integration in STAT3 drives T cell persistence-A model of HIV-associated T cell lymphoma.Michael RistMachika KakuJohn M CoffinOncogenic retroviruses are known for their pathogenesis via insertional mutagenesis, in which the presence of a provirus and its transcriptional control elements alter the expression of a nearby or surrounding host gene. There are reports of proviral integration driving oncogenesis in people with HIV and the use of HIV-derived vectors for gene therapy has raised concern about oncogenic side effects. To study this issue, we used an in vitro primary human CD4 + T cell infection model developed in our laboratory to identify HIV-1 integration sites that might influence cell proliferation or survival. Combining integration site analysis and bulk RNA sequencing, we found that an upregulated STAT3 signature due to proviral insertional mutagenesis was associated with persistent HIV-infected CD4 + T cells. HIV+ persistent cells also expressed a STAT3-related anti-apoptotic and cytotoxic phenotype that resembles that of HIV-associated T cell lymphomas. HIV insertional mutagenesis of STAT3 and expression of its downstream targets provides a model of HIV-associated T cell lymphomas that can be used to further determine the oncogenic drivers of HIV-associated lymphomas, both AIDS- and gene therapy-associated, and, potentially, to evaluate therapeutics against these HIV-associated cancers.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1013087
spellingShingle Michael Rist
Machika Kaku
John M Coffin
In vitro HIV DNA integration in STAT3 drives T cell persistence-A model of HIV-associated T cell lymphoma.
PLoS Pathogens
title In vitro HIV DNA integration in STAT3 drives T cell persistence-A model of HIV-associated T cell lymphoma.
title_full In vitro HIV DNA integration in STAT3 drives T cell persistence-A model of HIV-associated T cell lymphoma.
title_fullStr In vitro HIV DNA integration in STAT3 drives T cell persistence-A model of HIV-associated T cell lymphoma.
title_full_unstemmed In vitro HIV DNA integration in STAT3 drives T cell persistence-A model of HIV-associated T cell lymphoma.
title_short In vitro HIV DNA integration in STAT3 drives T cell persistence-A model of HIV-associated T cell lymphoma.
title_sort in vitro hiv dna integration in stat3 drives t cell persistence a model of hiv associated t cell lymphoma
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1013087
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AT johnmcoffin invitrohivdnaintegrationinstat3drivestcellpersistenceamodelofhivassociatedtcelllymphoma