Low levels of co-receptor CCR5 are sufficient to permit HIV envelope-mediated fusion with resting CD4 T cells

• Published in: AIDS (London) Vol. 16; no. 17; pp. 2337 - 2340
• Main Authors: CHANEL, Chantal, STAROPOLI, Isabelle, BALEUX, Francoise, AMARA, Ali, VALENZUELA-FERNANDEZA, Agustin, VIRELIZIER, Jean-Louis, ARENZANA-SEISDEDOS, Fernando, ALTMEYER, Ralf
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hagerstown, MD Lippincott Williams & Wilkins 22.11.2002; Wolters Kluwer
• Subjects: AIDS/HIV; Antibodies, Monoclonal - immunology; Biological and medical sciences; CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes - metabolism; CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes - virology; HIV Envelope Protein gp120 - metabolism; HIV-1 - metabolism; Human viral diseases; Humans; Infectious diseases; Life Sciences; Lymphocyte Activation; Medical sciences; Receptors, CCR5 - metabolism; Receptors, CXCR4 - metabolism; Viral diseases; Viral diseases of the lymphoid tissue and the blood. Aids; Human; Immunopathology; Pathogenesis; Retroviridae; AIDS; Cell fusion; Immune deficiency; Lentivirus; Host virus relation; Infection; Virus; CCR5 chemokine receptor; Immunological investigation; Viral disease; T-Lymphocyte; Human immunodeficiency virus; Virus envelope
• ISSN: 0269-9370; 1473-5571
• DOI: 10.1097/00002030-200211220-00016

The susceptibility of phenotypically CCR5-negative resting CD4 T cells for membrane fusion with a CCR5-specific HIV-1 envelope was analysed using a novel sensitive fusion assay. A very low overall density of CCR5 on T cells expressing high levels of CD4 was shown to be sufficient for HIV envelope-mediated membrane fusion. These findings are relevant to the understanding of how HIV-1 R5 strains enter and replicate in resting CD4 T cells in vivo.