Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 virological synapse formation in T cells requires lipid raft integrity.

Journal article

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) can spread directly between T cells by forming a supramolecular structure termed a virological synapse (VS). HIV-1 envelope glycoproteins (Env) are required for VS assembly, but their mode of recruitment is unclear. We investigated the distribution of GM1-rich lipid rafts in HIV-1-infected (effector) T cells and observed Env colocalization with polarized raft markers GM1 and CD59 but not with the transferrin receptor that is excluded from lipid rafts. In conjugates of effector T cells and target CD4+ T cells, GM1, Env, and Gag relocated to the cell-cell interface. The depletion of cholesterol in the infected cell dispersed Env and GM1 within the plasma membrane, eliminated Gag clustering at the site of cell-cell contact, and abolished assembly of the VS. Raft integrity is therefore critical for Env and Gag co-clustering and VS assembly in T-cell conjugates.

Authors: Jolly, C; Sattentau, Q

• Publication status: Published
• Journal: Journal of virology
• Volume: 79
• Issue: 18
• Pages: 12088-12094
• Publication date: 2005-09-01
• DOI: 10.1128/jvi.79.18.12088-12094.2005
• EISSN: 1098-5514
• ISSN: 0022-538X
• Language: English
• Keywords: G(M1) Ganglioside; Jurkat Cells; Microscopy, Immunoelectron; T-Lymphocytes; CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes; Humans; Membrane Microdomains; HIV-1; Antigens, Viral