Siglecs Facilitate HIV-1 Infection of Macrophages through Adhesion with Viral Sialic Acids
2011

Siglecs Facilitate HIV-1 Infection of Macrophages through Adhesion with Viral Sialic Acids

publication 10 minutes Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Zou Zhongcheng, Chastain Ashley, Moir Susan, Ford Jennifer, Trandem Kathryn, Martinelli Elena, Cicala Claudia, Crocker Paul, Arthos James, Sun Peter D.

Primary Institution: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health

Hypothesis

HIV-1 utilizes sialic acids on its envelope to facilitate infection of macrophages through interactions with Siglec receptors.

Conclusion

The study demonstrates that sialic acids on the HIV-1 envelope enhance infection of macrophages by binding to Siglec receptors, particularly Siglec-1.

Supporting Evidence

  • Sialic acids on the HIV-1 envelope enhance binding to Siglec receptors on macrophages.
  • Siglec-1 expression levels correlated with the efficiency of HIV-1 infection.
  • Blocking Siglec-1 significantly reduced HIV-1 infection in macrophages.

Takeaway

HIV-1 can stick to certain receptors on immune cells called Siglecs using special sugars on its surface, which helps the virus get inside the cells.

Methodology

The study used binding experiments and infection assays to evaluate the interaction between HIV-1 gp120 and Siglec receptors on macrophages.

Potential Biases

Potential bias in the selection of viral strains and donor macrophages used in the experiments.

Limitations

The study primarily focused on specific strains of HIV-1 and may not represent all viral variants.

Participant Demographics

Human monocytes from healthy donors were used to derive macrophages for the study.

Statistical Information

P-Value

p<0.05

Statistical Significance

p<0.05

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1371/journal.pone.0024559

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