# Inhibition of lentiviral nuclear import pathways by Mx2

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH · 2022 · $393,530

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
Lentiviruses such as HIV-1 are uniquely efficient in their ability to infect non-dividing cells through the hijacking
of cellular nucleocytoplasmic trafficking pathways. Nuclear import of primate lentiviruses is inhibited by the
interferon inducible GTPase Mx2, which localizes to the nuclear pore complex. However, the process by which
HIV-1 utilizes cellular nucleocytoplasmic trafficking and how nuclear entry is inhibited by Mx2 remain poorly
defined. Furthermore, the relationship between Mx2 and other cellular proteins that affect the pre-integration
stages of HIV-1 infection is not understood. We have previously demonstrated that the antiviral activity of Mx2
is affected by cellular nucleocytoplasmic trafficking pathways in a cell-type, cell-cycle, and HIV-1 capsid-
dependent manner. We further determined that Mx2 inhibits nucleocytoplasmic trafficking of non-viral cargo in a
cell-type dependent manner, indicating that it may have broader functions in antiviral interferon responses. Here,
we aim to determine how Mx2 is localized to the nuclear pore complex, the nuclear import pathways that are
inhibited by Mx2, how Mx2 is affected be heterogeneity in nucleocytoplasmic trafficking, and how Mx2 affects
the interaction of HIV-1 with other antiviral proteins.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10408871
- **Project number:** 5R01AI162172-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH
- **Principal Investigator:** Melissa E Kane
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $393,530
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2021-05-21 → 2026-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10408871

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10408871, Inhibition of lentiviral nuclear import pathways by Mx2 (5R01AI162172-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10408871. Licensed CC0.

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