title: HIV-1 gp120 induces anergy in naive T lymphocytes through CD4-independent protein kinase-A-mediated signaling.
abstract: The ability of the envelope glycoprotein gp120 [human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) env] to induce intracellular signals is thought to contribute to HIV-1 pathogenesis. In the present study, we found that the exposure of CD4+ CD45RA+ naive T cells to HIVenv results in a long-lasting hyporesponsiveness to antigen stimulation. This phenomenon is not dependent on CD4-mediated signals and also can be generated by the exposure of naive T cell to soluble CD4-HIVenv complexes. The analysis of the proximal signaling reveals that HIVenv does not activate Lck as well as the mitogen-activated protein kinase intermediate cascade. Conversely, the envelope glycoprotein stimulates the cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)-dependent protein kinase A (PKA) activity and induces the progressive accumulation of the phosphorylated form of the cAMP-responsive element binding. Of note, the ligation of CXCR4 by stromal cell-derived factor-1alpha but not the engagement of CD4 by monoclonal antibody stimulates the PKA activity and induces a long-lasting hyporesponsivity state in naive CD4+ lymphocytes. The pretreatment of lymphocytes with H89, a cell-permeable PKA inhibitor, prevents the induction of anergy. These findings reveal a novel mechanism by which HIVenv may modulate the processes of clonal expansion, homeostatic proliferation, and terminal differentiation of the naive T lymphocyte subset.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Biologia e Patologia Cellulare e Molecolare, Università di Napoli Federico II, 5 via S. Pansini, I-80131 Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Anna Maria
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Masci
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Galgani
authors.forename: Silvana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cassano
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: De Simone
authors.forename: Adriana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gallo
authors.forename: Veronica
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: De Rosa
authors.forename: Serafino
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zappacosta
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Racioppi
mesh_terms: D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D017635:Clonal Anergy; D017868:Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D015699:HIV Envelope Protein gp120 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007546:Isoquinolines / Q000494:pharmacology; D019860:Lymphocyte Specific Protein Tyrosine Kinase p56(lck) / Q000378:metabolism; D009000:Monocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D013449:Sulfonamides
chemical_list: D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D015699:HIV Envelope Protein gp120; D007546:Isoquinolines; D013449:Sulfonamides; D019860:Lymphocyte Specific Protein Tyrosine Kinase p56(lck); D017868:Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases; C063509:N-(2-(4-bromocinnamylamino)ethyl)-5-isoquinolinesulfonamide