Inhibition of human immunodeficiency virus infection by the lectin jacalin and by a derived peptide showing a sequence similarity with gp120.
Jacalin is a plant lectin known to specifically induce the proliferation of CD4+ T lymphocytes in human. We demonstrate here that jacalin completely blocks human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) in vitro infection of lymphoid cells. Jacalin does not bind the viral envelope glycoprotein gp120. Besides other T cell surface molecules, it interacts with CD4, the high-affinity receptor to HIV. Binding of jacalin to CD4 does not prevent gp120-CD4 interaction and does not inhibit virus binding and syncytia formation. The anti-HIV effect of the native lectin can be reproduced by its separated alpha-subunits. More importantly, we have defined in the alpha-chain of jacalin a 14-amino acid sequence which shows high similarities with a peptide of the second conserved domain of gp120. A synthetic peptide corresponding to this similar stretch also exerts a potent anti-HIV effect. This peptide is not mitogenic for peripheral blood mononuclear cells and does not inhibit anti-CD3-induced lymphocyte proliferation. These results make jacalin alpha chain-derived peptide a potentially valuable therapeutic agent for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.
Favero
J
J
INSERM U65, Université Montpellier II, France.
Corbeau
P
P
Nicolas
M
M
Benkirane
M
M
Travé
G
G
Dixon
J F
JF
Aucouturier
P
P
Rasheed
S
S
Parker
J W
JW
Liautard
J P
JP
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000378:metabolism; D002460:Cell Line; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D015699:HIV Envelope Protein gp120 / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D037102:Lectins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D037121:Plant Lectins
D015704:CD4 Antigens; D015699:HIV Envelope Protein gp120; D037102:Lectins; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D037121:Plant Lectins; C043696:jacalin