Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Ig CDR3-like region of the CD4 molecule is involved in HIV-induced syncytia formation but not in viral entry

Journal Article · · Journal of Immunology; (United States)
OSTI ID:6792371
; ; ; ; ;  [1]; ;  [2];  [3]
  1. CRBM du CNRS, Montpellier (France)
  2. Unite INSERM 119, Marseille (France)
  3. Hopital Lapeyronnie, Montpellier (France)

The HIV1 envelope glycoprotein gp120 binding site has been previously mapped by genetic studies to the CDR2-like region of the first domain of the CD4 molecule. mAb reactive with epitopes linked to this region (e.g., OKT4A) inhibit both HIV entry into CD4-positive cells and syncytia formation. A second area of this domain, the CDR3-like region, has been shown to be involved in gp120-CD4 interactions, but its role remained so far unclear. The authors show here that a mAb specific for the CDR3-like region of the CD4 receptor, 13B8-2, actually blocks soluble gp120 binding to CD4, inhibits HIV-induced cell-cell fusion, and prevents viral production by infected cells. However, this mAb fails to inhibit the binding of viral particles to cell-surface CD4 and their entry into CD4-positive cells. These results strongly suggest (1) that soluble gp120 and virion-anchored gp120 bind CD4 in distinct manners, (2) that gp120-CD4 interactions required for viral entry and syncytia formation are different, and (3) that mAb binding to the CDR3-like region of the first domain of CD4 affects a post-entry step of the HIV replicative cycle. 55 refs., 7 figs., 2 tabs.

OSTI ID:
6792371
Journal Information:
Journal of Immunology; (United States), Journal Name: Journal of Immunology; (United States) Vol. 150:1; ISSN 0022-1767; ISSN JOIMA3
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English