HIV-1 envelope protein gp41 modulates expression of interleukin-10 and chemokine receptors on monocytes, astrocytes and neurones.
OBJECTIVE
To analyse the effect of HIV-1 transmembrane protein gp41 on cytokine production and chemokine receptor expression in blood and brain.


METHODS
Because previous results had demonstrated that recombinant gp41 contributes to HIV-induced dysfunction of blood immune cells we investigated its effect on interleukin (IL)-10 synthesis and expression of the HIV coreceptors CCR5 and CXCR4 in different human brain cells.


METHODS
Astrocytic, microglial and neuronal cell lines were incubated with the extracellular domain of gp41 (aa565-647). Secretion of IL-10 into the medium was measured by ELISA. Chemokine receptor expression was analysed by fluorescence activated cell sorting and by RT-PCR.


RESULTS
Incubation of the astrocytic cell line U87 with gp41 induced more than a 10 fold up-regulation of IL-10 secretion. This modulation was shown to be time- and dose-dependent. Use of inhibitors for different signal transduction pathways indicated a similar transduction cascade for the alteration of IL-10 production in astrocytes as in monocytes with participation of cAMP/adenylate cyclase and activation of p70S6 kinase. To a lesser extent IL-10 synthesis was also up-regulated by gp41 in the neuronal cell line SK-N-SH. In all cell types up-regulation of IL-10 paralleled by an enhanced expression of the chemokine receptor and HIV-1 coreceptor CCR5. This up-regulation was driven by IL-10 as shown by use of an IL-10 antibody. Expression of the chemokine receptor CXCR4 was only slightly altered.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest a role for gp41 in the modulation of brain-specific host defence, cell migration and cell infectivity by HIV.
Speth
C
C
Institute for Hygiene, University of Innsbruck and Ludwig Boltzmann-Institute for AIDS Research, Austria.
Joebstl
B
B
Barcova
M
M
Dierich
M P
MP
D001253:Astrocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D002460:Cell Line; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D015700:HIV Envelope Protein gp41 / Q000235:genetics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D009000:Monocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000276:immunology*; D019713:Receptors, CCR5 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D019718:Receptors, CXCR4 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D019707:Receptors, Chemokine / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology; D015398:Signal Transduction
D015700:HIV Envelope Protein gp41; D019713:Receptors, CCR5; D019718:Receptors, CXCR4; D019707:Receptors, Chemokine; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D016753:Interleukin-10