Asymmetric deactivation of HIV-1 gp41 following fusion inhibitor binding.

Authors

Kristen M Kahle, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Kimmel Cancer Center, Thomas Jefferson UniversityFollow
H Kirby Steger, Department of Protein Therapeutics Development, Bristol-Myers-SquibbFollow
Michael J Root, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Kimmel Cancer Center, Thomas Jefferson UniversityFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

11-1-2009

Comments

This article has been peer reviewed and is published in PLoS Pathogens 2009, 5(11): 1-11. The published version is available at DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1000674. © Public Library of Science

Abstract

Both equilibrium and nonequilibrium factors influence the efficacy of pharmaceutical agents that target intermediate states of biochemical reactions. We explored the intermediate state inhibition of gp41, part of the HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein complex (Env) that promotes viral entry through membrane fusion. This process involves a series of gp41 conformational changes coordinated by Env interactions with cellular CD4 and a chemokine receptor. In a kinetic window between CD4 binding and membrane fusion, the N- and C-terminal regions of the gp41 ectodomain become transiently susceptible to inhibitors that disrupt Env structural transitions. In this study, we sought to identify kinetic parameters that influence the antiviral potency of two such gp41 inhibitors, C37 and 5-Helix. Employing a series of C37 and 5-Helix variants, we investigated the physical properties of gp41 inhibition, including the ability of inhibitor-bound gp41 to recover its fusion activity once inhibitor was removed from solution. Our results indicated that antiviral activity critically depended upon irreversible deactivation of inhibitor-bound gp41. For C37, which targets the N-terminal region of the gp41 ectodomain, deactivation was a slow process that depended on chemokine receptor binding to Env. For 5-Helix, which targets the C-terminal region of the gp41 ectodomain, deactivation occurred rapidly following inhibitor binding and was independent of chemokine receptor levels. Due to this kinetic disparity, C37 inhibition was largely reversible, while 5-Helix inhibition was functionally irreversible. The fundamental difference in deactivation mechanism points to an unappreciated asymmetry in gp41 following inhibitor binding and impacts the development of improved fusion inhibitors and HIV-1 vaccines. The results also demonstrate how the activities of intermediate state inhibitors critically depend upon the final disposition of inhibitor-bound states.

Recommended Citation

Kahle, Kristen M; Steger, H Kirby; and Root, Michael J, "Asymmetric deactivation of HIV-1 gp41 following fusion inhibitor binding." (2009). Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Faculty Papers. Paper 27.
https://jdc.jefferson.edu/bmpfp/27

PubMed ID

19956769