The synthetic peptide WKYMVm attenuates the function of the chemokine receptors CCR5 and CXCR4 through activation of formyl peptide receptor-like 1

BQ Li, MA Wetzel, JA Mikovits… - Blood, The Journal …, 2001 - ashpublications.org
BQ Li, MA Wetzel, JA Mikovits, EE Henderson, TJ Rogers, W Gong, Y Le, FW Ruscetti…
Blood, The Journal of the American Society of Hematology, 2001ashpublications.org
The G protein–coupled 7 transmembrane (STM) chemoattractant receptors can be
inactivated by heterologous desensitization. Earlier work showed that formly peptide
receptor-like 1 (FPRL1), an STM receptor with low affinity for the bacterial chemotactic
peptide formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalamine (fMLF), is activated by peptide domains
derived from the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 envelope glycoprotein gp120 and
its activation results in desensitization and down-regulation of the chemokine receptors …
Abstract
The G protein–coupled 7 transmembrane (STM) chemoattractant receptors can be inactivated by heterologous desensitization. Earlier work showed that formly peptide receptor-like 1 (FPRL1), an STM receptor with low affinity for the bacterial chemotactic peptide formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalamine (fMLF), is activated by peptide domains derived from the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 envelope glycoprotein gp120 and its activation results in desensitization and down-regulation of the chemokine receptors CCR5 and CXCR4 from monocyte surfaces. This study investigated the possibility of interfering with the function of CCR5 or CXCR4 as HIV-1 coreceptors by activating FPRL1. Cell lines were established expressing FPRL1 in combination with CD4/CXCR4 or CD4/CCR5 and the effect of a synthetic peptide, WKYMVm, a potent activator of formyl peptide receptors with preference for FPRL1 was determined. Both CXCR4 and CCR5 were desensitized by activation of the cells with WKYMVm via a staurosporine-sensitive pathway. This desensitization of CXCR4 and CCR5 also attenuated their capacity as the fusion cofactors for HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein and resulted in a significant inhibition of p24 production by cell lines infected with HIV-1 that use CCR5 or CXCR4 as coreceptors. Furthermore, WKYMVm inhibited the infection of human peripheral monocyte–derived macrophages and CD4+ T lymphocytes by R5 or X4 strains of HIV-1, respectively. These results indicate that heterologous desensitization of CCR5 and CXCR4 by an FPRL1 agonist attenuates their major biologic functions and suggest an approach to the development of additional anti-HIV-1 agents.
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