Viral Infectious Diseases Unit

Unit Leader

Yoko Aida

  • D.V.M., Ph.D.
  • Yoko Aida
  • Brief resume
    1985
    D.V.M., Ph.D., Hokkaido University
    1986
    Research Scientist, RIKEN
    1993
    Senior Research Scientist, RIKEN
    2001
    Research Unit Leader, Retrovirus Research Unit, RIKEN
    2007
    Senior Research Scientist, Surface Chemistry Laboratory, RIKEN
    2007
    Unit Leader, Viral Infectious Diseases Unit, RIKEN (-current)
    2008
    Professor, University of Tokyo (-current)

Outline

Viral Infectious Diseases Unit

Currently, infections account for about 30% of annual mortalities worldwide, and it is feared that the ratio may rise abruptly in the future. This is because new viral infections have recently emerged one after another. One representative of such infections is AIDS, which kills about 3 million people every year. The main subject of our unit is to understand the molecular mechanisms of AIDS induced by HIV-I and leukemogenesis induced by human and bovine leukemia viruses (HTLV and BLV), and in addition, to develop new methods for prevention of their viral replication and pathogenesis. In preparation for the coming threats from newly-emerging viruses, our unit focuses on the development of a new drug targeting a replication mechanism shared by many viruses.

Recent Research Topic

Inhibition of HIV-1 nuclear import via Vpr–Importin interactions as a novel HIV-1 therapy

HIV-1 has multiple accessory genes which differentiate HIV from other retroviruses. Focusing on one such gene, vpr, our unit has elucidated a novel proliferation mechanism of HIV that is carried out through interaction between Vpr and cellular factors, and will develop new proliferation inhibitors. Our studies have clearly shown that Vpr is transported into the nucleus by importin α alone. Furthermore, we have identified a potential parent compound which suppresses Vpr-importin α binding, thereby inhibiting both the importin α-dependent nuclear import of Vpr and HIV-1 replication in a Vpr-dependent manner. This compound is a previously unknown HIV-1 replication inhibitor in macrophages.

HIV-1 contains not only four structure genes, but also two regulatory genes and four accessory genes. Vpr, one of the accessory gene products, is a 15-kDa of 96 amino acids and affects both viral and cellular proliferation via its multiple functions.
Fig. 1
HIV-1 contains not only four structure genes, but also two regulatory genes and four accessory genes. Vpr, one of the accessory gene products, is a 15-kDa of 96 amino acids and affects both viral and cellular proliferation via its multiple functions.
The subcellular localization of Vpr protein (green) in vivo after microinjection into HeLa cells (left). Injection marker (red) (right).
Fig. 2
The subcellular localization of Vpr protein (green) in vivo after microinjection into HeLa cells (left). Injection marker (red) (right).

Selected Publications

  1. E. Takeda, et al. Nuclear Exportin Receptor CAS Regulates the NPI-1–Mediated Nuclear Import of HIV-1 Vpr, PLoS One 2011, 6, e27815.
  2. T. Hebishima, et al. Induction of antigen-specific immunity by pH-sensitive carbonate apatite as a potent vaccine carrier, Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 2011, 415, 597.
  3. S.-N. Takeshima, A new method for typing bovine major histocompatibility complex class II DRB3 alleles by combining two established PCR sequence-based techniques, Tissue Antigens 2011, 78, 208.
  4. K. Hagiwara, et al. Discovery of novel antiviral agents directed against the influenza A virus nucleoprotein using photo-cross-linked chemical arrays, Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 2010, 394, 721.
  5. G. Xue, Y. Aida, Discovery of a Small Molecule Inhibitor of the Interaction Between HIV-1 Proteins and Cellular Confactors: A Novel Candidate Anti-HIV-1 Drug, Current Chemical Biology, 2010, 4, 188.
  6. K. Hagiwara, et al. Identification of a novel Vpr-binding compound that Inhibits HIV-1 multiplication in macrophages by chemical array, Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, 2010, 403, 40.
  7. M. Jimba, S. Takeshima, K. Matoba, D. Endoh, Y. Aida, BLV-CoCoMo-qPCR:Quantitation of bovine leukemia virus proviral load using the CoCoMo algorithm, Retorovirology 2010, 7, 91.
  8. T. Miyasaka, et al. The diversity of bovine MHC class II DRB3 and DQA1 alleles in different Herds of Japanese Black and Holstein cattle in Japan, Gene 2010, 472, 42.
  9. T. Suzuki, et al. Inhibition of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) nuclear import via Vpr-Importin α interactions as a novel HIV-1 therapy, Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 2009, 380, 838.
  10. S. Takeshima, Y. Matsumoto, Y. Aida, Establishment of a new PCR sequence-based typing method for genotyping cattle major histocompatibility complex cattle MHC class II DRB3, J. Dairy Sci. 2009, 92, 2965.
  11. Y. Aida, G. Matsuda, Role of Vpr in HIV-1 nuclear import; therapeutic implications, Curr. HIV Res. 2009, 7, 136.
  12. S. Takeshima, Y. Sarai, N. Saito, Y. Aida, MHC class II DR classification based on antigen-binding groove natural selection, Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 2009, 385, 137.
  13. M. Nonaka, Y. Hashimoto, S. Takeshima, Y. Aida, The human immunodeficiency virus type 1 Vpr protein and its carboxy-terminally truncated form induce apoptosis in tumor cells, Cancer Cell In. 2009, 20.

Core Members

Principal Investigator add delete
Yoko Aida Unit Leader    
Staff Scientist add delete
Shin-nosuke Takeshima ASI Research Scientist    
Michinori Kakisaka Collaboration Research from Industry    
Postdoctoral Fellow add delete
Kyoji Hagiwara Contract Researcher (Contract Researcher, Molecular & Informative Life Science Unit)   2012.3.31
Yutaka Sasaki Postdoctoral Researcher 　  
Jiyun Kim Postdoctoral Researcher 　  
Guangai Xue Visiting Researcher 　  
Hironobu Murakami Visiting Researcher 　  
Student Trainee add delete
Mayuko Jimba Junior Research Associate    
Tomoyuki Murakami Junior Research Associate    
Kazunori Yamada Junior Research Associate    
Technical Assistant add delete
Yuki Matsumoto Technical Staff II    
Asako Sakuma Technical Staff II    
Sonoko Abe Technical Staff II    
Administrative Assistant add delete
Visiting Research Staff add delete
Other Staff add delete

( ) indicates primary affiliation in RIKEN.

Back to Top