High-multiplicity HIV-1 infection and neutralizing antibody evasion mediated by the macrophage-T cell virological synapse

Item Type:	Article
Title:	High-multiplicity HIV-1 infection and neutralizing antibody evasion mediated by the macrophage-T cell virological synapse
Creators Name:	Duncan, C.J.A. and Williams, J.P. and Schiffner, T. and Gärtner, K. and Ochsenbauer, C. and Kappes, J. and Russell, R.A. and Frater, J. and Sattentau, Q.J.
Abstract:	Macrophage infection is considered to play an important role in HIV-1 pathogenesis and persistence. Using a primary cell-based coculture model, we show that monocyte-derived macrophages (MDM) efficiently transmit a high-multiplicity HIV-1 infection to autologous CD4(+) T cells through a viral envelope glycoprotein (Env) receptor- and actin-dependent virological synapse (VS), facilitated by interactions between ICAM-1 and LFA-1. Virological synapse (VS)-mediated transmission by MDM results in high levels of T cell HIV-1 integration and is 1 to 2 orders of magnitude more efficient than cell-free infection. This mode of cell-to-cell transmission is broadly susceptible to the activity of CD4 binding site (CD4bs) and glycan or glycopeptide epitope-specific broadly neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (bNMAbs) but shows resistance to bNMAbs targeting the Env gp41 subunit membrane-proximal external region (MPER). These data define for the first time the structure and function of the macrophage-to-T cell VS and have important implications for bNMAb activity in HIV-1 prophylaxis and therapy. IMPORTANCE: The ability of HIV-1 to move directly between contacting immune cells allows efficient viral dissemination with the potential to evade antibody attack. Here, we show that HIV-1 spreads from infected macrophages to T cells via a structure called a virological synapse that maintains extended contact between the two cell types, allowing transfer of multiple infectious events to the T cell. This process allows the virus to avoid neutralization by a class of antibody targeting the gp41 subunit of the envelope glycoproteins. These results have implications for viral spread in vivo and the specificities of neutralizing antibody elicited by antibody-based vaccines.
Keywords:	Analysis of Variance, CD4 Antigens, CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes, Confocal Microscopy, DNA Primers, HIV Envelope Protein gp41, HIV Infections, Immune Evasion, Immunological Synapses, Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1, Luciferases, Lymphocyte Function-Associated Antigen-1, Macrophages, Monoclonal Antibodies, Neutralization Tests, Neutralizing Antibodies, Polymerase Chain Reaction, Time-Lapse Imaging
Source:	Journal of Virology
ISSN:	1098-5514
Publisher:	American Society for Microbiology
Volume:	88
Number:	4
Page Range:	2025-2034
Date:	February 2014
Official Publication:	https://doi.org/10.1128/jvi.03245-13
PubMed:	View item in PubMed

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