An anti-human immunodeficiency virus multiple antigen peptide encompassing the cleavage region of the env precursor interferes with membrane fusion at a post-CD4 binding step

Viral envelope glycoprotein processing by proprotein convertases

The proprotein convertases (PCs) are a family of nine mammalian enzymes that play key roles in the maintenance of cell homeostasis by activating or inactivating proteins via limited proteolysis under temporal and spatial control. A wide range of pathogens, including major human pathogenic viruses can hijack cellular PCs for their own purposes. In particular, productive infection with many enveloped viruses critically depends on the processing of their fusion-active viral envelope glycoproteins by cellular PCs. Based on their crucial role in virus-host interaction, PCs can be important determinants for viral pathogenesis and represent promising targets of therapeutic antiviral intervention. In the present review we will cover basic aspects and recent developments of PC-mediated maturation of viral envelope glycoproteins of selected medically important viruses. The molecular mechanisms underlying the recognition of PCs by viral glycoproteins will be described, including recent findings demonstrating differential PC-recognition of viral and cellular substrates. We will further discuss a possible scenario how viruses during co-evolution with their hosts adapted their glycoproteins to modulate the activity of cellular PCs for their own benefit and discuss the consequences for virus-host interaction and pathogenesis. Particular attention will be given to past and current efforts to evaluate cellular PCs as targets for antiviral therapeutic intervention, with emphasis on emerging highly pathogenic viruses for which no efficacious drugs or vaccines are currently available.

Fangchinoline inhibits human immunodeficiency virus type 1 replication by interfering with gp160 proteolytic processing

The introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy has led to a significant reduction in the morbidity and mortality of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome patients. However, the emergence of drug resistance has resulted in the failure of treatments in large numbers of patients and thus necessitates the development of new classes of anti-HIV drugs. In this study, more than 200 plant-derived small-molecule compounds were evaluated in a cell-based HIV-1 antiviral screen, resulting in the identification of a novel HIV-1 inhibitor (fangchinoline). Fangchinoline, a bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloid isolated from Radix Stephaniae tetrandrae, exhibited antiviral activity against HIV-1 laboratory strains NL4-3, LAI and BaL in MT-4 and PM1 cells with a 50% effective concentration ranging from 0.8 to 1.7 µM. Mechanism-of-action studies showed that fangchinoline did not exhibit measurable antiviral activity in TZM-b1 cells but did inhibit the production of infectious virions in HIV-1 cDNA transfected 293T cells, which suggests that the compound targets a late event in infection cycle. Furthermore, the antiviral effect of fangchinoline seems to be HIV-1 enve1ope-dependent, as the production of infectious HIV-1 particles packaged with a heterologous envelope, the vesicular stomatitis virus G glycoprotein, was unaffected by fangchinoline. Western blot analysis of HIV envelope proteins expressed in transfected 293T cells and in isolated virions showed that fangchinoline inhibited HIV-1 gp160 processing, resulting in reduced envelope glycoprotein incorporation into nascent virions. Collectively, our results demonstrate that fangchinoline inhibits HIV-1 replication by interfering with gp160 proteolytic processing. Fangchinoline may serve as a starting point for developing a new HIV-1 therapeutic approach.

HLA homology within the C5 domain promotes peptide binding by HIV type 1 gp120

The mechanisms by which HIV-1 induces chronic pathogenic immune activation associated with disease progression remain unclear despite many years of AIDS research. One proposal suggests that sequence and structural mimicry between gp120 and HLA may endow HIV with the capacity to arouse alloreactive and autoimmune responses within the susceptible host, fueling disease progression in a manner similar to graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). Both gp120 and HLA share a common functional interaction with CD4 but also demonstrate peptide binding properties. Here we report the conserved nature of this feature across HIV-1 envelopes, the crucial role of the HLA homologous C5 region for peptide interactions, and the elimination of this property through specific antibody targeting. Given that the C5 domain mimics a HLA activation domain and the reported clinical benefits associated with nonneutralizing antibodies against this region, targeting the C5 domain may have use as a therapeutic vaccine to protect against disease progression.

Peptide dendrimers

Dendrimers are branched structures and represent a fast growing field covering many areas of chemistry. Various types of dendrimers differing in composition and structure are mentioned, together with their practical use spanning from catalysis, transport vehicles to synthetic vaccines. The main stress is given to peptide dendrimers, namely, multiple antigenic peptides (MAPs). Their synthesis, physicochemical properties, biological activities, etc. have been described with many examples. MAPs can be used as diagnostics, mimetics, for complexation of different cations, as vaccines against parasites, bacteria, viruses, etc.

Protein-disulfide isomerase-mediated reduction of two disulfide bonds of HIV envelope glycoprotein 120 occurs post-CXCR4 binding and is required for fusion

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) envelope (Env) glycoprotein (gp) 120 is a highly disulfide-bonded molecule that attaches HIV to the lymphocyte surface receptors CD4 and CXCR4. Conformation changes within gp120 result from binding and trigger HIV/cell fusion. Inhibition of lymphocyte surface-associated protein-disulfide isomerase (PDI) blocks HIV/cell fusion, suggesting that redox changes within Env are required. Using a sensitive assay based on a thiol reagent, we show that (i) the thiol content of gp120, either secreted by mammalian cells or bound to a lymphocyte surface enabling CD4 but not CXCR4 binding, was 0.5-1 pmol SH/pmol gp120 (SH/gp120), whereas that of gp120 after its interaction with a surface enabling both CD4 and CXCR4 binding was raised to 4 SH/gp120; (ii) PDI inhibitors prevented this change; and (iii) gp120 displaying 2 SH/gp120 exhibited CD4 but not CXCR4 binding capacity. In addition, PDI inhibition did not impair gp120 binding to receptors. We conclude that on average two of the nine disulfides of gp120 are reduced during interaction with the lymphocyte surface after CXCR4 binding prior to fusion and that cell surface PDI catalyzes this process. Disulfide bond restructuring within Env may constitute the molecular basis of the post-receptor binding conformational changes that induce fusion competence.

Solution structure of the HIV gp120 C5 domain

In HIV the viral envelope protein is processed by a host cell protease to form gp120 and gp41. The C1 and C5 domains of gp120 are thought to directly interact with gp41 but are largely missing from the available X-ray structure. Biophysical studies of the HIV gp120 C5 domain (residues 489-511 of HIV-1 strain HXB2), which corresponds to the carboxy terminal region of gp120, have been undertaken. CD studies of the C5 domain suggest that it is unstructured in aqueous solutions but partially helical in trifluoroethanol/aqueous and hexafluoroisopropanol/aqueous buffers. The solution structure of the C5 peptide in 40% trifluoroethanol/aqueous buffer was determined by NMR spectroscopy. The resulting structure is a turn helix structural motif, consistent with the CD results. Fluorescence titration experiments suggest that HIV C5 forms a 1 : 1 complex with the HIV gp41 ectodomain in the presence of cosolvent with an apparent Kd of approximately 1.0 micro m. The absence of complex formation in the absence of cosolvent indicates that formation of the turn-helix structural motif of C5 is necessary for complex formation. Examination of the C5 structure provides insight into the interaction between gp120 and gp41 and provides a possible target site for future drug therapies designed to disrupt the gp120/gp41 complex. In addition, the C5 structure lends insight into the site of HIV envelope protein maturation by the host enzymes furin and PC7, which provides other possible targets for drug therapies.

Pharmacophore determination of a gp120 C terminal-derived anti-HIV peptide construct interfering with membrane fusion suggesting that processing of the gp120 C terminus is a prelude to fusion

A multiple antigen peptide [CLIV; (PTKAKRR1VVQREKR2)4-K2-K-betaA] from the C terminus of the gp120 subunit of HIV Env inhibits Env-mediated cell-to-cell fusion through direct interference with the process (Virology 2000;273:169). We have examined various CLIV analogs using a cell-to-cell fusion assay, receptor binding assays, and molecular modeling to further address the characteristics of the peptide responsible for its anti-HIV activity. We show that (1) CLIV does not interfere with Env binding to CD4 and does not interact with the binding site of Env on CXCR4; (2) CLIV does not inhibit protease activities already reported to play a role in fusion; and (3) the pharmacophore is composed of cleavage site1 with amino acid residues at its C terminal end. Based on our data and on the literature, we propose that CLIV interferes with processing of the gp120 C terminus at site1 by the lymphocyte surface after CD4 binding. Our hypothesis implies that the cleavage region of Env is submitted to a stepwise processing including the known intracellular cleavage of gp160 at site2 in order to set the activation of the fusion peptide and a yet unexplored cleavage at site1 by the target cell surface that triggers fusion.

The alpha-glucosidase inhibitor 1-deoxynojirimycin blocks human immunodeficiency virus envelope glycoprotein-mediated membrane fusion at the CXCR4 binding step

1-Deoxynojirimycin (DNM) is a saccharide decoy that inhibits cellular alpha-glucosidase I-II activity. Treatment by DNM of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected lymphocyte cultures inhibits virus spread. The functional properties of the membrane-associated Env glycoprotein (Env) modified in the presence of DNM remain unclear because previous reports on this subject have essentially used recombinant soluble Envs whose properties differ notably from those of Env anchored on the surface of the virus. To model virus-associated Env synthesized in the presence of DNM, native Env was expressed at the surface of mammalian cells treated with DNM. As expected, its glycosylation pattern was altered in the presence of the inhibitor. Env was found able to bind CD4, whereas its ability to induce membrane fusion was abolished. The immunoreactivity of regions involved in interactions of Env with CXCR4 (V1, V2, C2, and V3) was modified and Env displayed altered interaction with this coreceptor. These results are consistent with the inhibition by DNM of virus entry at the Env/coreceptor interaction step. Finally, preliminary data indicate that suboptimal concentrations of DNM and natural or synthetic CXCR4 ligands used in combination potently inhibit the Env-mediated membrane fusion process. Altogether, our results suggest that DNM and its analogs deserve further investigation as anti-HIV agents in combination with experimental compounds targeting CXCR4 to inhibit each partner of this crucial step of HIV entry.

Maturation of HIV envelope glycoprotein precursors by cellular endoproteases

The entry of enveloped viruses into its host cells is a crucial step for the propagation of viral infection. The envelope glycoprotein complex controls viral tropism and promotes the membrane fusion process. The surface glycoproteins of enveloped viruses are synthesized as inactive precursors and sorted through the constitutive secretory pathway of the infected cells. To be infectious, most of the viruses require viral envelope glycoprotein maturation by host cell endoproteases. In spite of the strong variability of primary sequences observed within different viral envelope glycoproteins, the endoproteolytical cleavage occurs mainly in a highly conserved domain at the carboxy terminus of the basic consensus sequence (Arg-X-Lys/Arg-Arg downward arrow). The same consensus sequence is recognized by the kexin/subtilisin-like serine proteinases (so called convertases) in many cellular substrates such as prohormones, proprotein of receptors, plasma proteins, growth factors and bacterial toxins. Therefore, several groups of investigators have evaluated the implication of convertases in viral envelope glycoprotein cleavage. Using the vaccinia virus overexpression system, furin was first shown to mediate the proteolytic maturation of both human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) and influenza virus envelope glycoproteins. In vitro studies demonstrated that purified convertases directly and specifically cleave viral envelope glycoproteins. Although these studies suggested the participation of several enzymes belonging to the convertases family, recent data suggest that other protease families may also participate in the HIV envelope glycoprotein processing. Their role in the physiological maturation process is still hypothetical and the molecular mechanism of the cleavage is not well documented. Crystallization of the hemagglutinin precursor (HA0) of influenza virus allowed further understanding of the molecular interaction between viral precursors and the cellular endoproteases. Furthermore, relationships between differential pathogenicity of influenza strains and their susceptibility to cleavage are molecularly funded. Here we review the most recent data and recent insights demonstrating the crucial role played by this activation step in virus infectivity. We discuss the cellular endoproteases that are implicated in HIV gp160 endoproteolytical maturation into gp120 and gp41.