TOKYO, March 3 (Xinhua) -- A Japanese research team has found that a protein in host cells with a zinc finger structure can hinder the proliferation of HIV and reduce the virus's ability to infect. The findings may contribute to the development of new HIV control methods.
Many researchers around the world are working on host factors that can hinder HIV proliferation. So far, a variety of hindrance factors have been identified, but accessory proteins such as the HIV virus's own NEF antagonize these blocking factors.
Researchers from Kyoto University, Miyazaki University and other institutions in Japan recently reported in the international academic journal "Interdisciplinary Science" that they used biological imaging, proximity-dependent biotin labeling and other means of analysis, and found that a cchc-type zinc finger domain protein 3 (ZCCHC3) in the host cell can enter the virion and show the effect of hindering infection against retroviruses. This protein not only shows an infection blocking effect against HIV, but also against retroviruses such as monkey immunodeficiency virus, and this blocking effect is not antagonized by the accessory protein of the virus.
The researchers used variants of a variety of ZCCHC3 proteins in experiments and found that the protein inhibits viral proliferation and reduces viral infection by binding to the GAG protein and genomic RNA of the virus. The researchers said they would study the use of the protein's antiviral function to develop new HIV control methods.