How entry inhibitors synergize to fight HIV

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Gregory Melikian, Emory University
• Language: English
• Date: 2017-10-06
• Publisher: American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
• Publication Version: Final Published Version
• Copyright Statement: © 2017 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.1074/jbc.H117.791731
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: Journal of Biological Chemistry
• ISSN: 0021-9258
• Volume: 292
• Issue: 40
• Start Page: 16511
• End Page: 16512
• Grant/Funding Information: The HIV fusion work in the Melikyan laboratory is supported by the National Institutes of Health Grant R01 GM054787.
• Keywords: Biochemistry & Molecular Biology; Life Sciences & Biomedicine; Science & Technology
• Research Categories: Health Sciences, Immunology; Biology, Virology

Abstract

HIV fusion with the cell membrane can be inhibited by blocking coreceptor binding or by preventing fusion-inducing conformational changes in the Env protein. Logically, inhibitors that act by these two mechanisms should act synergistically, but previous studies have reported conflicting results. A new study by Ahn and Root reconciles these discordant reports by demonstrating that synergy emerges when Env engages multiple coreceptors prior to inducing fusion and when high-affinity inhibitory peptides are used, a condition that may not be satisfied in vivo.