UTX-1 regulates Tat-induced HIV-1 transactivation via changing the methylated status of histone H3

Epigenetic modifications are thought to be important for gene expression changes during HIV-1 transcription and replication. The removal of histone H3 lysine27 (H3K27) trimethylation mark by UTX-1 is important for the robust induction of many specific genes during Tat-mediated HIV-1 transactvation. We found that UTX-1 enzymatic activity is needed for Tat to remove a repressive mark H3K27me3 in the HIV-1 long terminal repeat (LTR). UTX-1 converted the chromatin structure to a more transcriptionally active state by up-regulation of H3K4 methylation and down-regulation of H3K27 methylation on the specific regions of HIV-1 LTR. The increase in H3K27me3 and the decrease in H3K4me3 induced by UTX-1 knockdown was detected on the HIV-1 LTR, but not by control siRNA. Additionally, UTX-1 promotes HIV-1 gene expression by enhancing both the NF-κB p65′s nuclear translocation and its p65 binding to HIV-1 LTR. And we further demonstrated that H3K27 demethylase activity was required for increased HIV-1 transactivation induced by UTX-1. Together, our data reveal key roles for UTX-1 in a timely transition from poised to active chromatin in HIV-1 LTR during HIV-1 transcription and a fundamental mechanism by which a H3K27 demethylase triggers tissue-specific chromatin changes. Our findings provide a mechanistic link between UTX-1 and enhanced HIV-1 replication, and suggest that targeting at epigenetic mechanism may have a therapeutic benefit for HIV-1 patients.