Emergence of a drug-dependent human immunodeficiency virus type 1 variant during therapy with the T20 fusion inhibitor.
The fusion inhibitor T20 belongs to a new class of anti-human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) drugs designed to block entry of the virus into the host cell. However, the success of T20 has met with the inevitable emergence of drug-resistant HIV-1 variants. We describe an evolutionary pathway taken by HIV-1 to escape from the selective pressure of T20 in a treated patient. Besides the appearance of T20-resistant variants, we report for the first time the emergence of drug-dependent viruses with mutations in both the HR1 and HR2 domains of envelope glycoprotein 41. We propose a mechanistic model for the dependence of HIV-1 entry on the T20 peptide. The T20-dependent mutant is more prone to undergo the conformational switch that results in the formation of the fusogenic six-helix bundle structure in gp41. A premature switch will generate nonfunctional envelope glycoproteins (dead spikes) on the surface of the virion, and T20 prevents this abortive event by acting as a safety pin that preserves an earlier prefusion conformation.
Baldwin
Chris E
CE
Department of Human Retrovirology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, P.O. Box 22700, 1100 DE Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Sanders
Rogier W
RW
Deng
Yiqun
Y
Jurriaans
Suzanne
S
Lange
Joep M
JM
Lu
Min
M
Berkhout
Ben
B
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D024882:Drug Resistance, Viral; D000077560:Enfuvirtide; D015700:HIV Envelope Protein gp41 / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D008561:Membrane Fusion / Q000187:drug effects*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011487:Protein Conformation
D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D015700:HIV Envelope Protein gp41; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D000077560:Enfuvirtide