Elucidating a key anti-HIV-1 and cancer-associated axis: the structure of CCL5 (Rantes) in complex with CCR5

Sci Rep. 2014 Jun 26:4:5447. doi: 10.1038/srep05447.

Abstract

CCL5 (RANTES) is an inflammatory chemokine which binds to chemokine receptor CCR5 and induces signaling. The CCL5:CCR5 associated chemotactic signaling is of critical biological importance and is a potential HIV-1 therapeutic axis. Several studies provided growing evidence for the expression of CCL5 and CCR5 in non-hematological malignancies. Therefore, the delineation of the CCL5:CCR5 complex structure can pave the way for novel CCR5-targeted drugs. We employed a computational protocol which is primarily based on free energy calculations and molecular dynamics simulations, and report, what is to our knowledge, the first computationally derived CCL5:CCR5 complex structure which is in excellent agreement with experimental findings and clarifies the functional role of CCL5 and CCR5 residues which are associated with binding and signaling. A wealth of polar and non-polar interactions contributes to the tight CCL5:CCR5 binding. The structure of an HIV-1 gp120 V3 loop in complex with CCR5 has recently been derived through a similar computational protocol. A comparison between the CCL5 : CCR5 and the HIV-1 gp120 V3 loop : CCR5 complex structures depicts that both the chemokine and the virus primarily interact with the same CCR5 residues. The present work provides insights into the blocking mechanism of HIV-1 by CCL5.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Binding Sites
  • Chemokine CCL5 / chemistry*
  • Chemokine CCL5 / ultrastructure*
  • Computer Simulation
  • HIV Envelope Protein gp120 / chemistry*
  • HIV Envelope Protein gp120 / ultrastructure
  • Humans
  • Models, Chemical*
  • Models, Molecular
  • Neoplasm Proteins / chemistry
  • Neoplasm Proteins / ultrastructure
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Conformation
  • Receptors, CCR5 / chemistry*
  • Receptors, CCR5 / ultrastructure*

Substances

  • Chemokine CCL5
  • HIV Envelope Protein gp120
  • Neoplasm Proteins
  • Receptors, CCR5
  • gp120 protein, Human immunodeficiency virus 1