title: Membrane fusion between retroviral particles: host-range extension and vaccine prospects.
abstract: We have analyzed if different populations of retroviral particles carrying the viral and cellular receptors of membrane viruses, respectively, are able to specifically fuse with each other. Using the glycoprotein of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 and its cellular receptor complex, we demonstrate that interviral membrane fusion can, indeed, occur and that the resultant fused viral structures are able to infect cells and transduce a marker gene. On the one hand, these results have relevance for the development of vaccine strategies based on fusion-induced conformational epitopes on the viral glycoprotein. However, in addition to this potential practical application, the results obtained (which were extended to include analyses with the vesicular stomatitis virus G protein and its cellular receptor) have far-reaching implications for in vivo situations in which simultaneous infections with different membrane viruses can occur.
authors.affiliation: Forschungsschwerpunkt Angewandte Tumorvirologie, F0200, Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, Im Neuenheimer Feld 242, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sparacio
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Zeilfelder
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pfeiffer
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Henzler
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bosch
mesh_terms: D016915:AIDS Vaccines; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002461:Cell Line, Transformed; D015686:Gene Products, env / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000472:pathogenicity / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008561:Membrane Fusion / Q000502:physiology*; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D019718:Receptors, CXCR4 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014771:Virion / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D016915:AIDS Vaccines; D015704:CD4 Antigens; C028391:G protein, vesicular stomatitis virus; D015686:Gene Products, env; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D019718:Receptors, CXCR4; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins