Journal of Antivirals & Antiretrovirals
Open Access
ISSN: 1948-5964
ISSN: 1948-5964
Shohreh Amini, Kamel Khalili and Nune Darbinian-Sarkissian
Scientific Tracks Abstracts: JAA
p27SJ is a novel protein derived from a laboratory callus culture of Hypericum perforatum (St. John?s Wort) that belongs to an emerging family of DING proteins. We have demonstrated that the interaction of p27SJ with HIV-1 Tat and C/EBPβ greatly impacts the transcriptional activity of these two proteins that play a key role in replication of HIV-1 in microglia and macrophages. Further, we demonstrate that while the presence of p27SJ in cells interferes with the nuclear localization of C/EBPβ, due to its phosphatase activity, expression of p27SJ interferes with phosphorylation of the carboxyl terminus of RNA polymerase II by cyclin T/ cdk9/Tat complex, an event that is critical for activation of the LTR promoter by Tat. Our results provide a new avenue for the development of therapeutic intervention against HIV-1 infection and AIDS. Th is work was supported by grants from NIH awarded to S.A.