Binding of HIV-1 virions to α4β 7 expressing cells and impact of antagonizing α4β 7 on HIV-1 infection of primary CD4+ T cells.

Abstract

HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein is reported to interact with α4β7, an integrin mediating the homing of lymphocytes to gut-associated lymphoid tissue, but the significance of α4β7 in HIV-1 infection remains controversial. Here, using HIV-1 strain BaL, the gp120 of which was previously shown to be capable of interacting with α4β7, we demonstrated that α4β7 can mediate the binding of whole HIV-1 virions to α4β7-expressing transfectants. We further constructed a cell line stably expressing α4β7 and confirmed the α4β7-mediated HIV-1 binding. In primary lymphocytes with activated α4β7 expression, we also observed significant virus binding which can be inhibited by an anti-α4β7 antibody. Moreover, we investigated the impact of antagonizing α4β7 on HIV-1 infection of primary CD4(+) T cells. In α4β7-activated CD4(+) T cells, both anti-α4β7 antibodies and introduction of short-hairpin RNAs specifically targeting α4β7 resulted in a decreased HIV-1 infection. Our findings indicate that α4β7 may serve as an attachment factor at least for some HIV-1 strains. The established approach provides a promising means for the investigation of other viral strains to understand the potential roles of α4β7 in HIV-1 infection.

• Authors: Chang Li, Wei Jin, Tao Du, Biao Wu, Yalan Liu, Robin J Shattock, Qinxue Hu
• Journal: Virologica Sinica (Virol Sin) Vol. 29 Issue 6 Pg. 381-92 (Dec 2014) ISSN: 1995-820X [Electronic] Netherlands
• PMID: 25527342 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Integrins
• Receptors, Virus
• integrin alpha4beta7

Topics

• CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes (metabolism, virology)
• Cells, Cultured
• HIV Infections (genetics, metabolism, virology)
• HIV-1 (genetics, physiology)
• Humans
• Integrins (genetics, metabolism)
• Protein Binding
• Receptors, Virus (genetics, metabolism)
• Virion (genetics, physiology)
• Virus Attachment