Specific ligation of the HIV-1 viral envelope protein gp120 on human CD34+ bone marrow-derived progenitors
Arock, M.; Dedenon, A.; Le Goff, L.; Michel, A.; Missenard, G.; Debré, P.; Guillosson, J.J.
Cellular and Molecular Biology 40(3): 319-323
1994
ISSN/ISBN: 0145-5680 PMID: 7522715 Document Number: 428961
The precise mechanisms of hematologic abnormalities observed during HIV infection remain unknown. In vitro experiments performed by various authors concerning the HIV toxicity on bone marrow-derived precursors did not allow them to determine whether this toxicity could be mediated through direct or non-direct effects, since it is today unclear if gp 1 20 possesses a direct hematotoxic effect on human bone marrow progenies. The aim of our study was to determine whether labelled gp120 could specifically bind to the membrane of purified human normal CD34+ cells and to investigate the in vitro effect of the gp 1 20 on their growth. To answer these questions, human CD34+ cells were purified from normal bone marrow samples, then labelled with monoclonal antibodies directed either against CD4 antigen or CD34 antigen and/or with FITC labelled gp 120 and analyzed by FACS. Our results demonstrate the presence of about 5% of CD4+CD34+ cells and of nearly 12% of CD34+gp120+ precursors. Together with our results concerning the in vitro inhibitory effect of gp120 on the growth of the same purified CD34+ precursors, our data demonstrated the direct hematotoxic activity of HIV-derived gp120 and the possible HIV infection of hematopoietic progenitors through the interaction of gp 120 with CD34+ cell surface.