title: Chemokine receptors and HIV.
abstract: The discovery that chemokine receptors are the human cofactors required along with CD4 for fusion and infection by HIV has opened new directions in AIDS research on mechanisms of viral entry, tropism, and pathogenesis. A possible mechanism of co-receptor function has been demonstrated that involves the formation of a complex on the cell surface between the HIV-1 envelope, CD4, and the coreceptor. Functional studies indicate that this interaction is structurally complex, that it probably involves multiple domains of the coreceptor, and that different virus isolates interact with coreceptors in distinct ways. Other immunodeficiency viruses including simian immunodeficiency virus and feline immunodeficiency virus also utilize chemokine receptors for entry. The identification of genetic polymorphisms helps explain why some people, with alterations in the CCR5 gene that prevent expression, are protected from HIV-1 infection. The discovery of specific HIV-1 fusion coreceptor molecules has not only provided new insights into the mechanisms of viral entry and tropism, but also led to new avenues of investigation on strategies to block HIV infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland 20814-4799, USA.
authors.forename: C C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Broder
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Collman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000502:physiology; D002415:Cats; D018925:Chemokines / Q000502:physiology*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000472:pathogenicity / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D016089:Immunodeficiency Virus, Feline / Q000502:physiology; D008561:Membrane Fusion; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D017433:Protein Structure, Secondary; D019713:Receptors, CCR5; D019718:Receptors, CXCR4; D018121:Receptors, Cytokine / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D015728:Receptors, HIV / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D015302:Simian Immunodeficiency Virus / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D015704:CD4 Antigens; D018925:Chemokines; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D019713:Receptors, CCR5; D019718:Receptors, CXCR4; D018121:Receptors, Cytokine; D015728:Receptors, HIV