Nucleocapsid promotes localization of HIV-1 gag to uropods that participate in virological synapses between T cells

PLoS Pathog. 2010 Oct 28;6(10):e1001167. doi: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1001167.

Abstract

T cells adopt a polarized morphology in lymphoid organs, where cell-to-cell transmission of HIV-1 is likely frequent. However, despite the importance of understanding virus spread in vivo, little is known about the HIV-1 life cycle, particularly its late phase, in polarized T cells. Polarized T cells form two ends, the leading edge at the front and a protrusion called a uropod at the rear. Using multiple uropod markers, we observed that HIV-1 Gag localizes to the uropod in polarized T cells. Infected T cells formed contacts with uninfected target T cells preferentially via HIV-1 Gag-containing uropods compared to leading edges that lack plasma-membrane-associated Gag. Cell contacts enriched in Gag and CD4, which define the virological synapse (VS), are also enriched in uropod markers. These results indicate that Gag-laden uropods participate in the formation and/or structure of the VS, which likely plays a key role in cell-to-cell transmission of HIV-1. Consistent with this notion, a myosin light chain kinase inhibitor, which disrupts uropods, reduced virus particle transfer from infected T cells to target T cells. Mechanistically, we observed that Gag copatches with antibody-crosslinked uropod markers even in non-polarized cells, suggesting an association of Gag with uropod-specific microdomains that carry Gag to uropods. Finally, we determined that localization of Gag to the uropod depends on higher-order clustering driven by its NC domain. Taken together, these results support a model in which NC-dependent Gag accumulation to uropods establishes a preformed platform that later constitutes T-cell-T-cell contacts at which HIV-1 virus transfer occurs.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics
  • Bacterial Proteins / metabolism
  • Cell Membrane / virology
  • Cell Polarity / drug effects
  • Cell Polarity / immunology
  • Cell Surface Extensions / immunology
  • Cell Surface Extensions / metabolism*
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Fluorescent Antibody Technique
  • HIV-1 / metabolism
  • HIV-1 / physiology
  • Humans
  • Immunological Synapses / metabolism
  • Immunological Synapses / virology*
  • Luminescent Proteins / genetics
  • Luminescent Proteins / metabolism
  • Membrane Microdomains / drug effects
  • Membrane Microdomains / metabolism
  • Models, Biological
  • Myosin-Light-Chain Kinase / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Nucleocapsid / physiology*
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / chemistry
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / genetics
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / metabolism
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology
  • T-Lymphocytes / metabolism*
  • T-Lymphocytes / physiology
  • T-Lymphocytes / virology
  • Tissue Distribution
  • gag Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus / chemistry
  • gag Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus / genetics
  • gag Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus / metabolism*

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Luminescent Proteins
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins
  • gag Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus
  • yellow fluorescent protein, Bacteria
  • Myosin-Light-Chain Kinase