title: Identification of a LFA-1 region involved in the HIV-1-induced syncytia formation through phage-display technology.
abstract: We have identified a peptide region on CD18 molecule (the beta subunit of the LFA-1 molecule) involved in syncytia formation of HIV-1-infected lymphocytes. Several phage clones mimicking an epitope of the CD18 cell-surface determinant were isolated from two 9-mer random peptide phage-displayed libraries via their binding to the CD18-specific monoclonal antibody (mAb) MHM23, which in in vitro assay inhibits syncytia formation in HIV-1-infected cells. The peptide sequences displayed on phages that blocked immunolabeling of this mAb on LFA-1-expressing cells were used to identify the epitope recognized by mAb MHM23 by sequence comparison. On the basis of this analysis, two peptides which inhibited syncytia formation in HIV-1-infected cells in vitro were synthesized, thus confirming that they mimic a CD18 domain that is involved in this phenomenon. The results here presented highlight the potential of phage-display technology for the study of biological processes at the basis of virus infection, but also suggest new approaches for the therapy of AIDS.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Immunology, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Poloni
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Puddu
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Moretti
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Flego
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Romagnoli
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tombesi
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Capone
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chersi
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Felici
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cianfriglia
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D001435:Bacteriophages / Q000235:genetics*; D003588:Cytopathogenic Effect, Viral; D018604:Epitope Mapping; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000502:physiology*; D016169:Lymphocyte Function-Associated Antigen-1 / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D016169:Lymphocyte Function-Associated Antigen-1