title: HIV virions and HIV infection in vitro are unaffected by human granzymes A and B.
abstract: Granzymes are a family of serine proteinases commonly found in the granules of CD8+ T cells. In HIV infection, CD8+ cells show cytotoxic and noncytotoxic antiviral activities. The latter is mediated, at least in part, by a secreted CD8+ cell antiviral factor, CAF. Because of the antiviral nature of CD8+ cells, we examined the potential anti-HIV activity of free granzymes that can be found in CD8+ cell culture fluids. Pretreatment of CD4+ T cells with granzyme A or granzyme B had no effect on their susceptibility to infection with HIV, nor did incubation of the granzymes with HIV virions alter their infectivity. Continuous culture of acutely infected CD4+ T cells with granzyme A or B showed no effect on cell viability or the replication of HIV. The findings of this study suggest that free granzymes do not control HIV infection and spread in CD4+ T cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Cancer Research Institute, University of California, School of Medicine, San Francisco 94143, USA.
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Mackewicz
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lieberman
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Froelich
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Levy
mesh_terms: D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000821:virology*; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000201:enzymology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D053804:Granzymes; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000821:virology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014771:Virion / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C509213:GZMB protein, human; D053804:Granzymes; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases; C509212:GZMA protein, human