Hauber, IlonaHofmann-Sieber, HelgaChemnitz, JanDubrau, DaniloChusainow, JanetStucka, RolfHartjen, PhilipSchambach, AxelZiegler, PatrickHackmann, KarlSchröck, EvelinSchumacher, UdoLindner, ChristophGrundhoff, AdamBaum, ChristopherManz, Markus G.Buchholz, FrankHauber, Joachim2014-03-102013Hauber, I., H. Hofmann-Sieber, J. Chemnitz, D. Dubrau, J. Chusainow, R. Stucka, P. Hartjen, et al. 2013. “Highly Significant Antiviral Activity of HIV-1 LTR-Specific Tre-Recombinase in Humanized Mice.” PLoS Pathogens 9 (9): e1003587. doi:10.1371/journal.ppat.1003587. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1003587.1553-7366http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:11878944Stable integration of HIV proviral DNA into host cell chromosomes, a hallmark and essential feature of the retroviral life cycle, establishes the infection permanently. Current antiretroviral combination drug therapy cannot cure HIV infection. However, expressing an engineered HIV-1 long terminal repeat (LTR) site-specific recombinase (Tre), shown to excise integrated proviral DNA in vitro, may provide a novel and highly promising antiviral strategy. We report here the conditional expression of Tre-recombinase from an advanced lentiviral self-inactivation (SIN) vector in HIV-infected cells. We demonstrate faithful transgene expression, resulting in accurate provirus excision in the absence of cytopathic effects. Moreover, pronounced Tre-mediated antiviral effects are demonstrated in vivo, particularly in humanized Rag2−/−γc−/− mice engrafted with either Tre-transduced primary CD4+ T cells, or Tre-transduced CD34+ hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSC). Taken together, our data support the use of Tre-recombinase in novel therapy strategies aiming to provide a cure for HIV.en-USJournal Article2014-03-1010.1371/journal.ppat.1003587