Integrase cofactor

Abstract

The present invention provides nucleic acid molecules which include a region specifically interacting with the nucleic acid encoding the LEDGF/P75 protein or the nucleic acid encoding a fragment of a LEDGF/P75 protein and methods and uses of such nucleic acid molecules.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 - 12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . A method of treating a HIV-1 or HIV-2 viral infection in a mammal, comprising administering to said mammal an effective amount of an antagonist of LEDGF/p75, which is a dominant negative variant form of LEDGF/p75 protein which competes with wild-type LEDGF/p75 for binding to HIV integrase thereby suppressing the function of LEDGF/p75. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13 , which further comprises administering to said mammal one or more compounds effective in the treatment or prevention of viral infections. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein said antagonist of LEDGF/p75 comprises the integrase binding domain of a LEDGF/p75 protein. 
     
     
         16 . A method to identify molecules which comprise a region specifically binding to LEDGF/p75 protein or to a nucleic acid encoding said protein, comprising the steps of:
 exposing said LEDGF/p75 protein or nucleic acid encoding LEDGF/p75 protein to a molecule whose ability to suppress said protein from interacting with a retroviral integrase protein is sought to be determined and   determining the binding or hybridization of said molecule (a) to the LEDGF/p75 protein or to binding places of the LEDc3F/p75 protein on the integrase or to nucleic acids encoding said LEDGF/p75 protein and monitoring the prevention or suppression of retroviral replication or integration by the use of said molecule.   
     
     
         17 . A method for the treatment of a viral infection comprising the step of administering an effective amount of a molecule which comprises a region specifically interacting with LEDGFlp75 protein or nucleic acids encoding said LEDGF/p75 protein. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein said molecule is the binding domain of the Integrase-inhibiting LEDGF/p75 protein, which binds to the IN (Integrase) protein.