Small CD4 mimetics sensitize HIV-1-infected macrophages to antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity.

ABSTRACT: HIV-1 envelope (Env) conformation determines the susceptibility of infected CD4⁺ T cells to antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC). Upon interaction with CD4, Env adopts more "open" conformations, exposing ADCC epitopes. HIV-1 limits Env-CD4 interaction and protects infected cells against ADCC by downregulating CD4 via Nef, Vpu, and Env. Limited data exist, however, of the role of these proteins in downmodulating CD4 on infected macrophages and how this impacts Env conformation. While Nef, Vpu, and Env are all required to efficiently downregulate CD4 on infected CD4⁺ T cells, we show here that any one of these proteins is sufficient to downmodulate most CD4 from the surface of infected macrophages. Consistent with this finding, Nef and Vpu have a lesser impac

SUBMITTER: Laumaea A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9941794 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature