Human Genes that Influence HIV-1 Replication, Pathogenesis, and Immunity in IVDUs

描述（由申请人提供）：尽管艾滋病研究已有30年，但仍然没有强大的反向遗传系统来研究影响HIV-1复制、发病机制和免疫力的人类基因的体内功能。随着这些基因的数量激增，包括决定静脉注射吸毒者中HIV-1感染率和疾病进展的基因，对这种技术的需求从未如此之大。该提案解决了在实现这样的实验系统之前必须克服的技术障碍。RNAi改变了人类基因的功能评估，但缺乏可重复性和无法评估等位基因变异限制了实用性。小鼠基因敲除技术在明确指定特定哺乳动物基因的功能方面是无与伦比的。不幸的是，许多人类基因缺乏简单的小鼠基因， 直系同源基因，包括APOBEC 3G和TRIMS，这两个基因限制了静脉注射吸毒者中的HIV-1感染。更糟糕的是，HIV-1不能在小鼠细胞中复制。这里提出的项目将开发工具，通过同源重组在人类免疫系统细胞中进行靶向基因置换，并在HIV-1传播，复制，免疫和艾滋病发病机制的体内模型的背景下对这些修饰细胞进行功能评估。 为此，来自多个领域的正在进行的尖端技术开发将在 利用，包括人类胚胎干细胞和体细胞重编程，小鼠 用人对应物替换免疫系统，允许有效 将DNA递送至抗转染细胞，以及设计核酸酶以刺激同源重组。开发可以以受控方式进行遗传修饰并用于在体内实验模型中产生免疫系统的等基因人类造血干细胞的永久来源，将使我们能够得出关于特定人类基因或特定等位基因在造血发育、免疫功能和HIV-1复制和发病机制中的功能的明确结论，都是在滥用药物的情况下。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Despite 30 years of AIDS research, there is still no robust, reverse-genetic system for studying the in vivo function of human genes that influence HIV-1 replication, pathogenesis, and immunity. As the number of such genes skyrockets, including genes that determine rates of HIV-1 acquisition and disease progression among intravenous drug users, the need for such technology has never been greater. This proposal addresses technical hurdles that must be overcome before such an experimental system can be realized. RNAi transformed the functional assessment of human genes, but lack of reproducibility and inability to assess allelic variants limit utility. Mouse gene knockout technology is unsurpassed at unambiguous assignment of function to particular mammalian genes. Unfortunately, many human genes lack simple mouse orthologues, including APOBEC3G and TRIMS, two genes that restrict HIV-1 infection among intravenous drug users. Worse, HIV-1 does not replicate in mouse cells. The project proposed here will develop tools for targeted gene replacement by homologous recombination in cells of the human immune system, and for functional assessment of these modified cells within the context of an in vivo model of HIV-1 transmission, replication, immunity, and AIDS pathogenesis. Towards this end, ongoing, cutting-edge technical developments from several fields will be exploited, including human embryonic stem cells and somatic cell reprogramming, murine immune system substitution with human counterparts, lentiviral vectors that permit efficient delivery of DNA to transfection-resistant cells, and designer nucleases to stimulate homologous recombination. Development of a perpetual source of isogenic, human hematopoietic stem cells that can be genetically-modified in a controlled fashion, and used to generate an immune system within an in vivo experimental model, will permit us to draw firm conclusions concerning the function of particular human genes - or of particular alleles - in hematopoietic development, immune function, and HIV-1 replication and pathogenesis, all within a setting of substances of abuse.