title: HIV-1 infection: functional competition between gp41 and interleukin-2.
abstract: To determine whether the gp41 of HIV-1 could adhere to the interleukin (IL)-2 receptor at the surface of target cells in vitro, we analysed in vitro the possible functional competition between various forms of the HIV-1 gp41 molecule (i.e. peptides, trimeric or primary structures) and IL-2. This competition has been analysed in a test involving the proliferation of an IL-2-dependent cell line (CTLL2). The putative interaction between the IL-2 molecule and HIV-1 has also been assayed on MT4 cells (CD4(+) T lymphocytes) in culture. The gp41 trimeric molecule and an HIV-1 gp41 peptide (578-590 aminoacid sequence) dramatically inhibited CTLL2 cell proliferation, despite the presence of IL-2. The addition of serum, containing anti-gp41 antibodies, from HIV-1 patients resulted in a significant abolition of this inhibition. The concomitant incubation of IL-2 and HIV-1 with MT4 cells resulted in a strong decrease (70%) in HIV-1 p24 release. These data suggest that the gp41 of HIV-1 can use the IL-2 receptor during the process of HIV-1 infection and that there is some functional mimesis between gp41 and IL-2.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire des déficits immunitaires et d'immunovirologie, faculté de médecine RTH Laënnec, université Claude-Bernard-Lyon 1, 69372 Lyon cedex 08, France.
authors.forename: Kamel
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sanhadji
authors.forename: Jean-Claude
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Tardy
authors.forename: Jean-Louis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Touraine
mesh_terms: D016915:AIDS Vaccines; D001667:Binding, Competitive / Q000502:physiology; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D002460:Cell Line; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D015700:HIV Envelope Protein gp41 / Q000378:metabolism*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015497:HIV-1; D006801:Humans; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D018716:Molecular Mimicry; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D016915:AIDS Vaccines; D015700:HIV Envelope Protein gp41; D007376:Interleukin-2; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2