Search PubMedSearch

Biomedical subjects

P J Maddon

Publications and source records attributed to P J Maddon.

12 recordsLinked to original sources

Simple assay to screen for inhibitors of interaction between the human immunodeficiency virus envelope glycoprotein and its cellular receptor, CD4.

The binding of the human immunodeficiency virus envelope glycoprotein gp120 to the CD4 molecule is the initial step in the viral replicative cycle. This interaction is therefore an important target for therapeutic intervention for the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus infection. We designed an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay which detects the interaction between recombinant soluble forms of CD4 and gp160. This assay could be used as an initial screen of libraries of synthetic chemical compounds and natural products.

CD4 Antigens

Penetration of CD4 T cells by HIV-1. The CD4 receptor does not internalize with HIV, and CD4-related signal transduction events are not required for entry.

Receptor binding of HIV to the CD4 molecule is required for efficient infection of T cells, but the post-binding steps that result in penetration of HIV are not well understood. CD4 is induced to internalize upon T cell activation, and mAb to CD4 modify signal transduction and T cell activation as does HIV in some systems. It is not known whether HIV binding triggers CD4 endocytosis or whether signal transduction events are required for penetration. Selected inhibitors of signal transduction were evaluated for their effects on penetration using two assays that are dependent on penetration. After short term exposure to inhibitor and HIV, cells were analyzed for reverse-transcribed HIV DNA (DNA amplification assay), or productive infection is monitored (infectivity assay). Viral penetration was tested in the presence of H7 (protein kinase C inhibition), EGTA (extracellular Ca2+ chelation), cyclosporine A (inhibition of Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent activation), or pertussis toxin (inhibition of G protein function). All agents were used at concentrations that were inhibitory for their respective signal transduction pathways. None of the inhibitors affected viral penetration. We tracked the CD4 molecule with fluorescent probes that do not interfere with HIV binding in a system where CD4 T cells were saturated with HIV and the penetration event was relatively synchronized. Under conditions where detection of CD4 was more sensitive than the detection of HIV, HIV internalization was readily detected but CD4 internalization was not.

1-(5-Isoquinolinesulfonyl)-2-Methylpiperazine

CD4-gp120 interactions.

The three-dimensional structure of the binding domain of the CD4 molecule has been determined and extensive mutational analyses of the respective binding sites on gp120 and CD4 have been completed. The consequences of gp120-CD4 binding with respect to secondary changes in the virion, or the cell, that may be required for infection or that may interfere with cellular function are current active areas of investigation.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome

Analysis of synergism/antagonism between HIV-1 antibody-positive human sera and soluble CD4 in blocking HIV-1 binding and infectivity.

We tested human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) antibody-positive human sera and sCD4, alone and in combination, for synergistic, additive, or antagonistic effects on blocking of HIV binding and infectivity. Data were analyzed by an application of the median effect principle derived from the law of mass action. This allows the assessment of synergism/antagonism at any desired level of effect. Using three assays (whole virus binding to CD4 cells, neutralization of HIV infectivity, and binding of purified gp120 to solid-phase sCD4), we generally observed additive effects or slight synergism between antibody and sCD4 in inhibiting gp120-CD4 interaction. We used a fourth assay to measure the irreversible inactivation of HIV infectivity by sCD4, a property that can also be mediated by antibody but with considerably less potency than sCD4. The reduction in HIV infectivity mediated by mixtures of sCD4 and antibody was always equal to or greater than the arithmetic sum of the reductions by either agent alone. The relevant antiviral effects of sCD4 and anti-HIV sera may include reversible blockage of receptor binding, irreversible inactivation of HIV infectivity, and in the case of antibody, additional reactions that are independent of receptor binding. Although predictions concerning the in vivo situation are speculative, we find no evidence in vitro for antagonism between sCD4 and antibody with respect to the net effect of the two in blocking HIV binding and infectivity.

Binding, Competitive

The CD4 molecule and HIV infection.

CD4 (T4), a glycoprotein expressed largely on the surface of cells in the immune system, serves as the receptor for the human immunodeficiency virus, HIV. The isolation of the CD4 gene has permitted an analysis of the structure of CD4 and its role in both HIV infection and the immune response. Recently, new classes of CD4-based therapeutics have been generated that interfere with HIV attachment to target cells. Soluble CD4 proteins and CD4-based chimeric molecules are currently undergoing clinical evaluation in HIV-infected individuals.

Binding Sites

Structural features of CD4 required for binding to HIV.

A soluble form of the human CD4 glycoprotein (sCD4), the cellular receptor for human HIV, was treated with various physical, chemical, and enzymic regimens and tested over a range of concentrations for its capacity to inhibit the binding of HIV to CD4+ T cells. Reduction of disulfide bonds and alkylation in denaturing buffer (8 M urea) destroyed the inhibitory activity of sCD4, whereas reduction and alkylation in PBS had no effect. Derivatization or digestion of carbohydrate groups by periodate oxidation or by glycolytic enzyme digestion did not affect sCD4 inhibitory capacity. Digestion with trypsin or endoproteinase Glu-C destroyed activity. A limited digestion of sCD4 with endoproteinase Glu-C resulted in a mixture of fragments, however, and the mixture had inhibitory activity equivalent to that of intact sCD4. Within this mixture, a fragment of 23 kDa was identified that binds to HIV. Although sCD4 can be digested to yield fully active fragments, the requirement for intrachain disulfide bonding indicates that the minimum sized portion of CD4 that will retain full affinity for HIV will have to be formulated with a proper tertiary structure.

Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte

Soluble CD4 blocks the infectivity of diverse strains of HIV and SIV for T cells and monocytes but not for brain and muscle cells.

The CD4 antigen has been subverted as a receptor by the human and simian immunodeficiency viruses (HIV-1, HIV-2 and SIV). Several groups have reported that recombinant, soluble forms of the CD4 molecule (sCD4) block the infection of T lymphocytes by HIV-1, as CD4 binds the HIV envelope glycoprotein, gp120, with high affinity. We now report that sCD4 blocks diverse strains of HIV-1, HIV-2 and SIV, but is less effective for HIV-2. The blocking effect is apparent even after adsorption of virions to CD4 cells. Soluble CD4 prevents HIV infection of T-lymphocytic and myelomonocytic cell lines, but neither sCD4 nor anti-CD4 antibodies inhibit infection of glioma and rhabdomyosarcoma cell lines.

Antigens, Surface

Infection of B lymphocytes by the human immunodeficiency virus and their susceptibility to cytotoxic cells.

The T4 molecule (CD4) is an important component of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) receptor. As yet, no other component has been demonstrated. We report here that two cell lines, a B lymphoblastoid cell line (Gupta) and a glial cell line (HEB) derived from human embryonal brain tissue, are productively infectable with two distinct isolates of HIV as judged by electron microscopy and immunological and virological studies. These two cell lines do not display detectable surface CD4 glycoprotein. However, using S1 nuclease analysis, we have found that both cell lines do express low levels of CD4 mRNA. Neither of them produced syncytia formation upon HIV infection, a recognized feature of HIV-infected cells strongly expressing the CD4 glycoprotein. It is conceivable that the CD4 mRNA is translated, resulting in meager surface expression of CD4 molecules undetectable by conventional techniques. Therefore, infection with HIV may be one of the most sensitive methods of demonstrating low levels of CD4 expression by human cells. Furthermore, HIV-infected Gupta cells have here been shown to be more susceptible to the lytic activity of natural killer (NK) cells than their uninfected counterparts. These phenomena may be important for pathogenesis of HIV-associated disorders.

Antibodies, Monoclonal

The T4 gene encodes the AIDS virus receptor and is expressed in the immune system and the brain.

The isolation of clones encoding the human surface protein T4, and the expression of the T4 gene in new cellular environments, have enabled us to examine the role of this protein in the pathogenesis of AIDS. Our studies support a mechanism of AIDS virus infection that initially involves the specific interaction of the AIDS virus with T4 molecules on the cell surface. This association can be demonstrated on T4+ transformed T and B lymphocytes as well as epithelial cells. Furthermore, the presence of T4 on the surface of all human cells examined is sufficient to render these cells susceptible to AIDS virus infection. Our data suggest that the T4-AIDS virus complex is then internalized by receptor-mediated endocytosis. Finally, we find that the T4 gene is expressed in the brain as well as in lymphoid cells, providing an explanation for the dual neurotropic and lymphotropic character of the AIDS virus. In this manner, a T lymphocyte surface protein important in mediating effector cell-target cell interactions has been exploited by a human retrovirus to specifically target the AIDS virus to populations of T4+ cells.

Ammonium Chloride

The gene encoding the T-cell surface protein T4 is located on human chromosome 12.

The surface glycoproteins T4 and T8 define functionally distinct populations of T lymphocytes. We have obtained cDNA and genomic clones encoding the T4 molecule and used these as probes to determine the chromosomal location of this gene. Genomic blotting experiments, along with in situ hybridization analyses, indicate that the T4 gene resides on the short arm of human chromosome 12, at region p12-pter. Thus, the T4 gene is not linked to any known member of the immunoglobulin gene family, including its counterpart gene, T8, which resides on human chromosome 2 immediately distal to the immunoglobulin kappa locus.

Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte

The isolation and nucleotide sequence of a cDNA encoding the T cell surface protein T4: a new member of the immunoglobulin gene family.

The surface glycoproteins T4 and T8 define different functional subsets of T lymphocytes and may act as recognition molecules mediating appropriate interactions between the T cell and its target. Previously we employed gene transfer and subtractive hybridization to isolate a T8 cDNA; now we have isolated and sequenced a cDNA clone encoding the T4 molecule. The deduced protein sequence reveals that T4 is an integral membrane protein that shares significant amino acid and structural homologies with members of the immunoglobulin supergene family. The overall structure of T4 consists of an N-terminal variable (V)-like domain, a joining (J)-like region, a third extracellular domain, a membrane-spanning region homologous to class II MHC beta-chains, and a highly charged cytoplasmic domain. Comparison of the protein sequences deduced from the T4 and T8 cDNAs reveals structural similarities consistent with their postulated role as recognition molecules, as well as differences suggesting that the two proteins recognize different structures on the target cell.

Amino Acid Sequence