GRL-142 binds to and impairs HIV-1 integrase nuclear localization signal and potently suppresses highly INSTI-resistant HIV-1 variants

Nuclear localization signal (NLS) of HIV-1 integrase (IN) is implicated in nuclear import of HIV-1 preintegration complex (PIC). Here, we established a multiclass drug-resistant HIV-1 variant (HIV(KGD)) by consecutively exposing an HIV-1 variant to various antiretroviral agents including IN strand transfer inhibitors (INSTIs). HIV(KGD) was extremely susceptible to a previously reported HIV-1 protease inhibitor, GRL-142, with IC(50) of 130 femtomolar. When cells were exposed to HIV(KGD) IN–containing recombinant HIV in the presence of GRL-142, significant decrease of unintegrated 2-LTR circular cDNA was observed, suggesting that nuclear import of PIC was severely compromised by GRL-142. X-ray crystallographic analyses revealed that GRL-142 interacts with NLS’s putative sequence (DQAEHLK) and sterically blocks the nuclear transport of GRL-142–bound HIV(KGD)’s PIC. Highly INSTI-resistant HIV-1 variants isolated from heavily INSTI-experienced patients proved to be susceptible to GRL-142, suggesting that NLS-targeting agents would serve as salvage therapy agents for highly INSTI-resistant variant–harboring individuals. The data should offer a new modality to block HIV-1 infectivity and replication and shed light on developing NLS inhibitors for AIDS therapy.