Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 1, 2025

Isolation, Transfection, and Culture of Primary Human Monocytes
Published on: December 16, 2019
Thymidylate synthase is essential for efficient HIV-1 replication in macrophages
Vincent Desrosiers1, Corinne Barat1, Yann Breton1
1Axe des Maladies Infectieuses et Immunitaires, Centre de Recherche Du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Pavillon CHUL, Québec, QC, G1V 4G2, Canada.
Thymidylate synthase (TS) is vital for HIV-1 replication in macrophages. Inhibiting TS reduces viral infection by impacting early viral cycle steps, suggesting TS as a therapeutic target.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Virology
- Immunology
Background:
- Thymidylate synthase (TS) is a critical enzyme in nucleotide biosynthesis.
- Upregulation of folate pathway enzymes, including TS, observed in HIV-1 infected human monocyte-derived macrophages (MDMs).
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the essential role of Thymidylate Synthase (TS) in HIV-1 infection of MDMs.
- To explore TS as a potential therapeutic target for HIV-1 treatment.
Main Methods:
- Utilized TS-specific small interfering RNA (siRNA) and the inhibitor Raltitrexed (RTX).
- Assessed viral load and early viral cycle efficacy using Quantitative PCR.
- Investigated the effect of deoxyribonucleotide triphosphate (dNTP) addition on RTX's inhibitory action.
Main Results:
- TS inhibition via siRNA or RTX significantly reduced productively HIV-1 infected MDMs.
- Treatment decreased the efficiency of early viral replication steps.
- The inhibitory effect of RTX was reversed by adding dNTPs.
Conclusions:
- TS is essential for early-stage HIV-1 infection in MDMs, likely by maintaining optimal dNTP levels.
- The TS pathway represents a potential therapeutic target for managing HIV-1 infection.
More Related Videos
14:23A Restriction Enzyme Based Cloning Method to Assess the In vitro Replication Capacity of HIV-1 Subtype C Gag-MJ4 Chimeric Viruses
Published on: August 31, 2014
13:13Single-cell Quantitation of mRNA and Surface Protein Expression in Simian Immunodeficiency Virus-infected CD4+ T Cells Isolated from Rhesus macaques
Published on: September 25, 2018
Related Concept Videos
Size and Structure of Viral Genomes
Viral Mutations
Viruses with RNA Genomes
ATP and Macromolecule Synthesis
Most macromolecules are composed of single subunits, or building blocks, called monomers. The monomers combine with each other using covalent bonds to form larger molecules known as polymers.
Conversion of...