title: Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 gp41 binds to Candida albicans via complement C3-like regions.
abstract: Oral candidiasis in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-infected persons is believed to be caused by the acquired T lymphocyte immunodeficiency. The direct interaction of C. albicans and HIV-1 in vitro was investigated. Twice as many yeasts adhered to cells transfected with the HIV-1 env gene as they did to controls. HIV-1 rsgp160 and rsgp41 but not rsgp120 were found to bind to Candida albicans via two C3-like regions within gp41. Normal human serum, but not C3-depleted serum, was able to inhibit rsgp41 binding to C. albicans. Vice versa, rsgp160 and rsgp41 were able to block rosetting of C. albicans with iC3b-coated sheep erythrocytes. Binding to C. albicans, and its inhibition by rsgp41 or rsgp160, was confirmed for the whole virus. Therefore, oral candidiasis in HIV-1-infected subjects may be augmented or may even be initiated by direct interaction between C. albicans and HIV-1 or HIV-1-infected cells.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Hygiene, University of Innsbruck, Austria.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Würzner
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gruber
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Stoiber
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Spruth
authors.forename: Y H
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lukasser-Vogl
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Schwendinger
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Dierich
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001667:Binding, Competitive; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000378:metabolism*; D003176:Complement C3 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D016655:HIV Core Protein p24 / Q000032:analysis; D015700:HIV Envelope Protein gp41 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011994:Recombinant Proteins
chemical_list: D003176:Complement C3; D016655:HIV Core Protein p24; D015700:HIV Envelope Protein gp41; D011994:Recombinant Proteins