Chromatin control of Tat-mediated reactivation of latent HIV-1 provirus

Abstract

Background Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV-1) persists in a latent state within resting CD4+ T cells of infected patients treated with highly active retroviral therapy (HAART). This latent reservoir should be eliminated for the clearance of infection. In these cells, silenced replication-competent viruses are integrated into the host genome and can be reactivated by T-cell stimuli. The establishment of this post-integration form of latency is a multifactorial process leading to transcriptional repression. The cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying HIV-1 promoter reactivation from latently infected cells are still poorly understood.