Molecular Basis for Cell Tropism of CXCR4-Dependent Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Isolates

Laboratory isolates of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) that utilize CXCR4 as a coreceptor infect primary human macrophages inefficiently even though these express a low but detectable level of cell surface CXCR4. In contrast, infection of primary macrophages by primary CXCR4-tropic HIV-1 isolates is readily detectable. Here, we provide evidence suggesting that this difference in cell tropism results from a higher requirement for cell surface CXCR4 for infection by laboratory HIV-1 isolates. Transfected COS7 cells that express a high level of CD4 but a low level of CXCR4 were infected significantly more efficiently by two primary CXCR4-tropic HIV-1 isolates compared to the prototypic laboratory HIV-1 isolate IIIB. More importantly, overexpression of either wild-type or signaling-defective CXCR4 on primary macrophages dramatically enhanced the efficiency of infection by the laboratory HIV-1 isolate yet only modestly enhanced infection by either primary CXCR4-tropic virus. Overexpression of CD4 had, in contrast, only a limited effect on macrophage infection by the laboratory HIV-1, although infection by the primary isolates was markedly enhanced. We therefore conclude that the laboratory CXCR4-tropic HIV-1 isolate exhibits a significantly higher CXCR4 requirement for efficient infection than do the primary CXCR4-tropic isolates and that this difference can explain the poor ability of the laboratory HIV-1 isolate to replicate in primary macrophages. More generally, we propose that the cell tropisms displayed by different strains of HIV-1 in culture can largely be explained on the basis of differential requirements for cell surface CD4 and/or coreceptor expression levels.     

Mechanisms of nonrandom human immunodeficiency virus type 1 infection and double infection: preference in virus entry is important but is not the sole factor

We previously demonstrated that human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection is nonrandom and that double infection occurs more frequently than predicted from random events. To probe the possible mechanisms for nonrandom infection, we examined the role of HIV-1 entry pathways by using viruses pseudotyped with either CCR5-tropic HIV-1 Env or vesicular stomatitis virus G protein (VSV G). These two proteins use different receptors and entry pathways. We found that regardless of the protein used, double infection occurred more frequently than random events, indicating nonrandom HIV-1 infection in both entry pathways. However, the frequency of double infection differed significantly, depending on the envelope protein. In primary CD4(+) T cells, double infection occurred most frequently when both viruses had CCR5-tropic HIV-1 Env and least frequently when the two viruses had different envelopes. These results indicated that the preference in virus entry was a significant but not the only factor contributing to nonrandom double infection. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the CD4 expression level in primary T cells affects their susceptibility to CCR5-tropic HIV-1 infection but not VSV G-pseudotyped HIV-1 infection. We have also examined infection with two viruses pseudotyped with CCR5- or CXCR4-tropic HIV-1 Env and have found that double infection occurred more frequently than random events. These results indicate that coreceptor usage is not a barrier to recombination between the two virus populations. In our previous study, we also demonstrated nonrandom double infection via dendritic cell (DC)-mediated HIV-1 transmission. To test our hypothesis that multiple HIV-1 virions are transmitted during DC-T-cell contact, we used two populations of DCs, each capturing one vector virus, and added both DC populations to T cells. We observed a decreased frequency of double infection compared with experiments in which DCs captured both viruses simultaneously. Therefore, these results support our hypothesis that multiple virions are transmitted from DCs to T cells during cell-mediated HIV-1 transmission.     

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 infection and replication in normal human oral keratinocytes

Recent epidemiologic studies show increasing human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) transmission through oral-genital contact. This paper examines the possibility that normal human oral keratinocytes (NHOKs) might be directly infected by HIV or might convey infectious HIV virions to adjacent leukocytes. PCR analysis of proviral DNA constructs showed that NHOKs can be infected by CXCR4-tropic (NL4-3 and ELI) and dualtropic (89.6) strains of HIV-1 to generate a weak but productive infection. CCR5-tropic strain Ba-L sustained minimal viral replication. Antibody inhibition studies showed that infection by CXCR4-tropic viral strains is mediated by the galactosylceramide receptor and the CXCR4 chemokine coreceptor. Coculture studies showed that infectious HIV-1 virions can also be conveyed from NHOKs to activated peripheral blood lymphocytes, suggesting a potential role of oral epithelial cells in the transmission of HIV infection.     

Apoptosis of bystander T cells induced by human immunodeficiency virus type 1 with increased envelope/receptor affinity and coreceptor binding site exposure

Apoptosis of uninfected bystander CD4(+) T cells contributes to T-cell depletion during human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) pathogenesis. The viral and host mechanisms that lead to bystander apoptosis are not well understood. To investigate properties of the viral envelope glycoproteins (Env proteins) that influence the ability of HIV-1 to induce bystander apoptosis, we used molecularly cloned viruses that differ only in specific amino acids in Env. The ability of these strains to induce bystander apoptosis was tested in herpesvirus saimiri-immortalized primary CD4(+) T cells (CD4/HVS), which resemble activated primary T cells. Changes in Env that increase affinity for CD4 or CCR5 or increase coreceptor binding site exposure enhanced the capacity of HIV-1 to induce bystander apoptosis following viral infection or exposure to nonreplicating virions. Apoptosis induced by HIV-1 virions was inhibited by CD4, CXCR4, and CCR5 antibodies or by the CXCR4 inhibitor AMD3100, but not the fusion inhibitor T20. HIV-1 virions with mutant Envs that bind CXCR4 but are defective for CD4 binding or membrane fusion induced apoptosis, whereas CXCR4 binding-defective mutants did not. These results demonstrate that HIV-1 virions induce apoptosis through a CXCR4- or CCR5-dependent pathway that does not require Env/CD4 signaling or membrane fusion and suggest that HIV-1 variants with increased envelope/receptor affinity or coreceptor binding site exposure may promote T-cell depletion in vivo by accelerating bystander cell death.     

Dendritic cells preferentially transfer CXCR4-using human immunodeficiency virus type 1 variants to CD4+ T lymphocytes in trans

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) preferentially utilizes the CCR5 coreceptor for target cell entry in the acute phase of infection, while later in disease progression the virus switches to the CXCR4 coreceptor in approximately 50% of patients. In response to HIV-1 the adaptive immune response is triggered, and antibody (Ab) production is elicited to block HIV-1 entry. We recently determined that dendritic cells (DCs) can efficiently capture Ab-neutralized HIV-1, restore infectivity, and transmit infectious virus to target cells. Here, we tested the effect of Abs on trans transmission of CCR5 or CXCR4 HIV-1 variants. We observed that transmission of HIV-1 by immature as well as mature DCs was significantly higher for CXCR4- than CCR5-tropic viral strains. Additionally, neutralizing Abs directed against either the gp41 or gp120 region of the envelope such as 2F5, 4E10, and V3-directed Abs inhibited transmission of CCR5-tropic HIV-1, whereas Ab-treated CXCR4-tropic virus demonstrated unaltered or increased transmission. To further study the effects of coreceptor usage we tested molecularly cloned HIV-1 variants with modifications in the envelope that were based on longitudinal gp120 V1 and V3 variable loop sequences from a patient progressing to AIDS. We observed that DCs preferentially facilitated infection of CD4⁺ T lymphocytes of viral strains with an envelope phenotype found late in disease. Taken together, our results illustrate that DCs transmit CXCR4-tropic HIV-1 much more efficiently than CCR5 strains; we hypothesize that this discrimination could contribute to the in vivo coreceptor switch after seroconversion and could be responsible for the increase in viral load.     

Direct visualization of HIV-1 entry: mechanisms and role of cell surface receptors.

Highly fluorescent virions of T- and M-tropic HIV-1 strains were obtained by incorporation of the viral accessory protein Vpr, fused to the green fluorescent protein, in trans. The fluorescent virions displayed normal morphology, were infectious, and could be used for direct visualization of HIV-1 attachment and trafficking in various cell lines. More than 90% of the viral particles were found to enter the cells by direct membrane fusion in T-cells, CD4+ HeLa cells, and macrophages. Visualizing HIV-1 attachment and entry in the absence or presence of CD4 and/or the appropriate coreceptors indicated that CD4 is the major receptor for virus attachment in the case of JR-CSF and NL-4-3 HIV-1 isolates; however, the coreceptors are required for membrane fusion. Internalization of the coreceptor CXCR4 inhibited entry, but did not prevent virus binding suggesting that transient downregulation of the coreceptor(s) may not be the most efficient way of blocking HIV infection in vivo.     

Specific reactions between purified HIV-1 particles and CD4+ cell membrane fragments in a cell-free system of virus fusion or entry

The initial step of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection has been studied by Env-mediated fusion or entry assays with appropriate cells expressing CD4 or CXCR4/CCR5 receptors in cultures, where many factors underlying cellular activities likely regulate the fusion/entry efficiency. Here we attempted to develop a more simplified in vitro cell-free fusion/entry reaction that mimics HIV-1 infection in cultures. Membrane fragments of target cells and intact infectious HIV-1 particles were purified, mixed and incubated. The core p24 protein was released from the purified virions and detected by ELISA without detergents in the supernatant of the reaction mixtures. This release reaction proceeded temperature-dependently and in a dose-dependent manner between the virion and membrane fractions, and was specific for HIV-1 Env and CD4. Env-deleted or VSV-G-pseudotyped HIV-1 released little p24, if any. Pretreatment of the membrane fragments with anti-CD4 antibodies inhibited the p24 induction from both X4-tropic and R5-tropic HIV-1. Furthermore, X4 but not R5 HIV-1 reacted with the membrane prepared from intrinsically CXCR4-positive HeLa-CD4 cells, whereas both viruses reacted with that prepared from CCR5-transduced HeLa-CD4 cells, indicating that this cell-free reaction mimics coreceptor usage of HIV-1 infection. Therefore, a potent entry inhibitor of X4 HIV-1, SDF-1alpha, blocked the release from X4 but not R5 HIV-1. Inversely, a weak entry inhibitor of R5 HIV-1, MIP-1beta, partially affected only the release from R5 HIV-1. These results suggest that this cell-free reaction system provides a useful tool to study biochemical fusion/entry mechanisms of HIV-1 and its inhibitors.     

Modulation of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 infectivity through incorporation of tetraspanin proteins

Accumulating evidence indicates that human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) acquires various cellular membrane proteins in the lipid bilayer of the viral envelope membrane. Although some virion-incorporated cellular membrane proteins are known to potently affect HIV-1 infectivity, the virological functions of most virion-incorporated membrane proteins remain unclear. Among these host proteins, we found that CD63 was eliminated from the plasma membranes of HIV-1-producing T cells after activation, followed by a decrease in the amount of virion-incorporated CD63, and in contrast, an increase in the infectivity of the released virions. On the other hand, we found that CD63 at the cell surface was preferentially embedded on the membrane of released virions in an HIV-1 envelope protein (Env)-independent manner and that virion-incorporated CD63 had the potential to inhibit HIV-1 Env-mediated infection in a strain-specific manner at the postattachment entry step(s). In addition, these behaviors were commonly observed in other tetraspanin proteins, such as CD9, CD81, CD82, and CD231. However, L6 protein, whose topology is similar to that of tetraspanins but which does not belong to the tetraspanin superfamily, did not have the potential to prevent HIV-1 infection, despite its successful incorporation into the released particles. Taken together, these results suggest that tetraspanin proteins have the unique potential to modulate HIV-1 infectivity through incorporation into released HIV-1 particles, and our findings may provide a clue to undiscovered aspects of HIV-1 entry.     

CD4+ T-Lymphocyte Depletion in Human Lymphoid Tissue Ex Vivo Is Not Induced by Noninfectious Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Virions

We tested infectious human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), noninfectious but conformationally authentic inactivated whole HIV-1 virions, and purified gp120 for the ability to induce depletion of CD4⁺ T cells in human lymphoid tissues ex vivo. Infectious CXCR4-tropic HIV-1, but not matched inactivated virions or gp120, mediated CD4⁺ T-cell depletion, consistent with mechanisms requiring productive infection.     

Inhibition of CXCR4-tropic HIV-1 infection by lipopolysaccharide: evidence of different mechanisms in macrophages and T lymphocytes

Bacterial LPS protects primary human macrophages from infection by CCR5-tropic HIV-1 isolates through the release of the CC chemokines RANTES and macrophage inflammatory protein-1 alpha and -1 beta. Here, we show that LPS also suppresses infection of macrophages by CXCR4-tropic HIV-1 isolates. A marked down-regulation of both CD4 and CXCR4 expression was associated with this effect. Furthermore, a soluble factor(s) released by macrophages upon LPS treatment inhibited infection with CXCR4-tropic HIV-1 isolate viruses in both macrophages and T lymphocytes. Infection of both cell types appeared to be blocked at the level of viral entry and was independent of stromal cell-derived factor-1, the only known natural ligand of CXCR4. Moreover, the suppressive effect of LPS was unrelated to the release of IFN-alpha and -beta, macrophage-derived chemokine, leukemia inhibitory factor, or TNF-alpha. These results suggest the existence of potent HIV-1 inhibitory factor(s), uncharacterized to date, released by activated cells of the mononuclear phagocytic system.     

CD63 is not required for production of infectious human immunodeficiency virus type 1 in human macrophages

During the assembly of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) particles, the tetraspanin CD63 can be incorporated into the viral membrane. Indeed, cell surface tetraspanin microdomains that include CD63 have been proposed as sites for virus release. In addition, antibodies against CD63 can inhibit HIV infection of macrophages. In this cell type, HIV assembles into intracellularly sequestered plasma membrane domains that contain several other tetraspanins, including CD81, CD9, and CD53. CD63 is recruited to this domain following HIV infection. Together, these observations suggest that CD63 may have some function in the assembly of infectious virus particles and/or the infectivity of assembled virions. Here we have used RNA interference to knock down CD63 expression in monocyte-derived primary macrophages. We show that in the absence of CD63, HIV assembly is quantitatively comparable to that seen in CD63-expressing macrophages and that virus assembly occurs on compartments positive for CD81, CD9, and CD53. Moreover, the infectivity of macrophage-derived virus is unaffected by the loss of CD63. Together, our results indicate that at least in tissue culture, CD63 expression is not required for either the production or the infectivity of HIV-1.     

Dendritic Cell–T-Cell Interactions Support Coreceptor-Independent Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Transmission in the Human Genital Tract

Worldwide, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is transmitted predominantly by heterosexual contact. Here, we investigate for the first time, by examining mononuclear cells obtained from cervicovaginal tissue, the mechanisms whereby HIV type 1 (HIV-1) directly targets cells from the human genital tract. In contrast to earlier findings in mucosal models such as human skin, we demonstrate that the majority of T cells and macrophages but none or few dendritic cells (DC) express the HIV-1 coreceptor CCR5 in normal human cervicovaginal mucosa, whereas all three cell types express the coreceptor CXCR4. To understand the role of coreceptor expression on infectivity, mucosal mononuclear cells were infected with various HIV-1 isolates, using either CCR5 or CXCR4. Unstimulated T cells become rapidly, albeit nonproductively, infected with R5- and X4-tropic variants. However, DC and T cells form stable conjugates which permit productive infection by viruses of both coreceptor specificities. These results indicate that HIV-1 can exploit T-cell-DC synergism in the human genital tract to overcome potential coreceptor restrictions on DC and postentry blocks of viral replication in unactivated T cells. Thus, mononuclear cells infiltrating the genital mucosa are permissive for transmission of both R5- and X4-tropic HIV-1 variants, and selection of virus variants does not occur by differential expression of HIV-1 coreceptors on genital mononuclear cells.     

Enhanced infectivity of HIV-1 by X4 HIV-1 coinfection

Two strains of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) expressing different reporters, human placental alkaline phosphatase (PLAP) and murine heat stable antigen (HSA, CD24), were used for dual infection. Flow cytometric analysis enabled us to distinguish cells not only infected with individual reporter virus but also superinfected with both reporter viruses. When the CD4 positive T cell line, PM1, was dually infected by both reporter viruses with different coreceptor utilization, coinfection with CXCR4-tropic HIV-1 (X4 HIV-1) expressing one reporter increased the rate of cells infected with HIV-1 expressing another reporter. This enhancement was accompanied by an increased level of p24 antigen Gag in culture supernatant, indicating that infectivity of HIV-1 was augmented by X4 HIV-1 coinfection. The CXCR4 antagonist, T140 eliminated this enhancement, suggesting the role of X4 envelope via CXCR4. These results imply the role of X4 HIV-1 at the late stage of infection.     

The promiscuous CC chemokine receptor D6 is a functional coreceptor for primary isolates of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and HIV-2 on astrocytes

The role of coreceptors other than CCR5 and CXCR4 in the pathogenesis of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease is controversial. Here we show that a promiscuous CC chemokine receptor, D6, can function as a coreceptor for various primary dual-tropic isolates of HIV type 1 (HIV-1) and HIV-2. Furthermore, D6 usage is common among chimeric HIV-1 constructs bearing the gp120 proteins of isolates from early seroconverting patients. D6 mRNA and immunoreactivity were demonstrated to be expressed in HIV-1 target cells such as macrophages, peripheral blood mononuclear cells, and primary astrocytes. In primary astrocytes, an RNA interference-mediated knockdown of D6 expression inhibited D6-tropic isolate infection. D6 usage may account for some previous observations of alternative receptor tropism for primary human cells. Thus, D6 may be an important receptor for HIV pathogenesis in the brain and for the early dissemination of virus in the host.     

Primary Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 2 (HIV-2) Isolates Infect CD4-Negative Cells via CCR5 and CXCR4: Comparison with HIV-1 and Simian Immunodeficiency Virus and Relevance to Cell Tropism In Vivo

Cell surface receptors exploited by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) for infection are major determinants of tropism. HIV-1 usually requires two receptors to infect cells. Gp120 on HIV-1 virions binds CD4 on the cell surface, triggering conformational rearrangements that create or expose a binding site for a seven-transmembrane (7TM) coreceptor. Although HIV-2 and SIV strains also use CD4, several laboratory-adapted HIV-2 strains infect cells without CD4, via an interaction with the coreceptor CXCR4. Moreover, the envelope glycoproteins of SIV of macaques (SIV(MAC)) can bind to and initiate infection of CD4(-) cells via CCR5. Here, we show that most primary HIV-2 isolates can infect either CCR5(+) or CXCR4(+) cells without CD4. The efficiency of CD4-independent infection by HIV-2 was comparable to that of SIV, but markedly higher than that of HIV-1. CD4-independent HIV-2 strains that could use both CCR5 and CXCR4 to infect CD4(+) cells were only able to use one of these receptors in the absence of CD4. Our observations therefore indicate (i) that HIV-2 and SIV envelope glycoproteins form a distinct conformation that enables contact with a 7TM receptor without CD4, and (ii) the use of CD4 enables a wider range of 7TM receptors to be exploited for infection and may assist adaptation or switching to new coreceptors in vivo. Primary CD4(-) fetal astrocyte cultures expressed CXCR4 and supported replication by the T-cell-line-adapted ROD/B strain. Productive infection by primary X4 strains was only triggered upon treatment of virus with soluble CD4. Thus, many primary HIV-2 strains infect CCR5(+) or CXCR4(+) cell lines without CD4 in vitro. CD4(-) cells that express these coreceptors in vivo, however, may still resist HIV-2 entry due to insufficient coreceptor concentration on the cell surface to trigger fusion or their expression in a conformation nonfunctional as a coreceptor. Our study, however, emphasizes that primary HIV-2 strains carry the potential to infect CD4(-) cells expressing CCR5 or CXCR4 in vivo.     

Partial activation and induction of apoptosis in CD4(+) and CD8(+) T lymphocytes by conformationally authentic noninfectious human immunodeficiency virus type 1

Increased levels of apoptosis are seen in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, and this has been proposed as an important mechanism contributing to HIV pathogenesis. However, interpretation of in vitro studies aimed at understanding HIV-related apoptosis has been complicated by the use of high concentrations of recombinant proteins or by direct cytopathic effects of replicating virus. We have developed an inactivation procedure that destroys retroviral infectivity while preserving the structural and functional integrity of the HIV surface proteins. These noninfectious virions interact authentically with target cells, providing a powerful tool to dissect mechanisms of HIV pathogenesis that do or do not require viral replication. Noninfectious CXCR4-tropic HIV-1 virions, but not microvesicles, partially activated freshly isolated CD4(+) and CD8(+) peripheral blood mononuclear cell T lymphocytes to express FasL and Fas, but not CD69 or CD25 (interleukin-2 receptor alpha) and eventually die via apoptosis starting 4 to 6 days postexposure. These effects required conformationally intact virions, as heat-denatured virions or equivalent amounts of recombinant gp120 did not induce apoptosis. The maximal apoptotic effect was dependent on major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II proteins being present on the virion, but was not MHC restricted. The results suggest that the immunopathogenesis of HIV infection may not depend solely on direct cytopathic effects of HIV replication, but that effects due to noninfectious HIV-1 virions may also contribute importantly.     

Engineered CD4- and CXCR4-using simian immunodeficiency virus from African green monkeys is neutralization sensitive and replicates in nonstimulated lymphocytes

During human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection, disease progression correlates with the occurrence of variants using the coreceptor CXCR4 for cell entry. In contrast, apathogenic simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) from African green monkeys (SIVagm), specifically the molecular virus clone SIVagm3mc, uses CCR5, Bob, and Bonzo as coreceptors throughout the course of infection. The influence of an altered coreceptor usage on SIVagm3mc replication was studied in vitro and in vivo. The putative coreceptor binding domain, the V3 region of the surface envelope (SU) glycoprotein, was replaced by the V3 loop of a CD4- and CXCR4-tropic HIV-1 strain. The resulting virus, termed SIVagm3-X4mc, exclusively used CD4 and CXCR4 for cell entry. Consequently, its in vitro replication was inhibited by SDF-1, the natural ligand of CXCR4. Surprisingly, SIVagm3-X4mc was able to replicate in vitro not only in interleukin-2- and phytohemagglutinin-stimulated but also in nonstimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from nonhuman primates. After experimental infection of two pig-tailed macaques with either SIVagm3-X4mc or SIVagm3mc, the coreceptor usage was maintained during in vivo replication. Cell-associated and plasma viral loads, as well as viral DNA copy numbers, were found to be comparable between SIVagm3mc and SIVagm 3-X4mc infections, and no pathological changes were observed up to 14 months postinfection. Interestingly, the V3 loop exchange rendered SIVagm3-X4mc susceptible to neutralizing antibodies present in the sera of SIVagm3-X4mc- and SIVagm3mc-infected pig-tailed macaques. Our study describes for the first time a successful exchange of a V3 loop in nonpathogenic SIVagm resulting in CD4 and CXCR4 usage and modulation of virus replication in nonstimulated PBMCs as well as sensitivity toward neutralization.     

Proteomic and biochemical analysis of purified human immunodeficiency virus type 1 produced from infected monocyte-derived macrophages

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infects CD4(+) T lymphocytes and monocytes/macrophages, incorporating host proteins in the process of assembly and budding. Analysis of the host cell proteins incorporated into virions can provide insights into viral biology. We characterized proteins in highly purified HIV-1 virions produced from human monocyte-derived macrophages (MDM), within which virus buds predominantly into intracytoplasmic vesicles, in contrast to the plasmalemmal budding of HIV-1 typically seen with infected T cells. Liquid chromatography-linked tandem mass spectrometry of highly purified virions identified many cellular proteins, including 33 previously described proteins in HIV-1 preparations from other cell types. Proteins involved in many different cellular structures and functions were present, including those from the cytoskeleton, adhesion, signaling, intracellular trafficking, chaperone, metabolic, ubiquitin/proteasomal, and immune response systems. We also identified annexins, annexin-binding proteins, Rab proteins, and other proteins involved in membrane organization, vesicular trafficking, and late endosomal function, as well as apolipoprotein E, which participates in cholesterol transport, immunoregulation, and modulation of cell growth and differentiation. Several tetraspanins, markers of the late endosomal compartment, were also identified. MDM-derived HIV contained 26 of 37 proteins previously found in exosomes, consistent with the idea that HIV uses the late endosome/multivesicular body pathway during virion budding from macrophages.     

A CD63 mutant inhibits T-cell tropic human immunodeficiency virus type 1 entry by disrupting CXCR4 trafficking to the plasma membrane

We have discovered that an N-terminal deletion mutant of a membrane protein, CD63, (CD63ΔN) blocks entry of CXCR4-using, T-cell tropic human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (X4 HIV-1) by suppressing CXCR4 surface expression. This suppression was observed for CXCR4 but not for CD4, CCR5, CD25, CD71 or other tetraspanin proteins. The suppression of CXCR4 expression on the plasma membrane appeared to be caused by mislocalization of CXCR4 and exclusive transportation of CXCR4 toward intracellular organelles, mainly late endosomes/lysosomes. Our data suggest that CXCR4 trafficking can be modified in terms of its recruitment to the plasma membrane without enhancing the degradation or arresting vesicular transport of CXCR4.