Journal of Jilin University(Medicine Edition) ›› 2025, Vol. 51 ›› Issue (3): 831-838.doi: 10.13481/j.1671-587X.20250330

• Review • Previous Articles    

Research progress in therapeutic strategy of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 latenty by targeting Tat

Haobo HU,Chen HUAN()   

  1. Institute of Virology and AIDS Research,First Hospital,Jilin University,Changchun 130021,China
  • Received:2024-03-15 Accepted:2024-05-11 Online:2025-05-28 Published:2025-07-18
  • Contact: Chen HUAN E-mail:lmsxsml@jlu.edu.cn

Abstract:

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) latent reservoirs pose the primary obstacle to curing acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Transactivator(Tat), a regulatory protein encoded by HIV-1, influences the establishment and reactivation of latent reservoirs by promoting viral transcription. Inhibitors targeting Tat protein suppress viral rebound by reducing Tat protein levels and disrupting its transcription-promoting functions. Among the two strategies for treating HIV-1 latent reservoirs, the “block-and-lock” strategy, which is based on Tat protein inhibitors, aims to target HIV-1 proteins or host factors while interfering with histone epigenetic modifications, thereby permanently silencing proviral DNA and maintaining HIV-1 latency even after treatment discontinuation. Tat-related inhibitors such as didehydrocortistatin A (dCA), triptolide, and apalutamide-derived Q308 regulate HIV-1 latency through distinct mechanisms. This review summarizes the regulatory roles of Tat in HIV-1 latency, Tat protein inhibitor-based therapeutic strategies for targeting latent reservoirs, and the mechanisms of action of related inhibitors, with the goal of providing insights for the development of drugs toward achieving functional HIV-1 cure.

Key words: Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, Transactivator, HIV-1 latent reservoir, “Block-and-lock”strategy, Functional cure

CLC Number: 

  • R512.91