Specific interaction of CXCR4 with CD4 and CD8alpha: functional analysis of the CD4/CXCR4 interaction in the context of HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein-mediated membrane fusion

Virology. 2006 Sep 15;353(1):52-67. doi: 10.1016/j.virol.2006.05.027. Epub 2006 Jun 30.

Abstract

We investigated possible interactions between HIV-1 receptor (CD4) and the main coreceptors CXCR4 and CCR5. We found that CD4 and CXCR4 coexpressed in 293T cells form a complex that can be immunoprecipitated with antibodies directed against the extracellular domain of either protein. Mutagenesis revealed that the CD4/CXCR4 interaction maps to two previously uncharacterized basic motifs in the cytoplasmic domain of CD4. HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein-mediated membrane fusion was found to be independent of the ability of CD4 and CXCR4 to interact, whether fusion was studied in a virus-cell or a cell-cell model. However, this interaction might explain the adaptation of HIV-1 to CXCR4 as an alternative to CCR5. We found that CXCR4 also interacts with the cytoplasmic domain of CD8alpha in a way that is similar to the CD4/CXCR4 interaction. The CD4/CXCR4 and CD8alpha/CXCR4 interactions may thus be involved in cellular signaling pathways shared by the CD4 and CD8alpha molecules.

MeSH terms

  • CD4 Antigens / chemistry
  • CD4 Antigens / genetics
  • CD4 Antigens / metabolism*
  • CD8 Antigens / chemistry
  • CD8 Antigens / genetics
  • CD8 Antigens / metabolism*
  • Cell Line
  • HIV-1 / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Membrane Fusion / physiology*
  • Mutagenesis, Site-Directed
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary
  • Receptors, CCR5 / metabolism
  • Receptors, CXCR4 / physiology*
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / chemistry
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / metabolism
  • Viral Envelope Proteins / metabolism*

Substances

  • CD4 Antigens
  • CD8 Antigens
  • Receptors, CCR5
  • Receptors, CXCR4
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins
  • Viral Envelope Proteins