Binding of recombinant feline immunodeficiency virus surface glycoprotein to feline cells: role of CXCR4, cell-surface heparans, and an unidentified non-CXCR4 receptor.

To address the role of CXCR4 in the cell-surface attachment of the feline immunodeficency virus (FIV), a soluble fusion protein, gp95-Fc, consisting of the surface glycoprotein (SU, gp95) of either a primary (PPR) or cell line-adapted (34TF10) FIV strain was fused in frame with the Fc domain of human immunoglobulin G1. The recombinant SU-immunoadhesins were used as probes to investigate the cellular binding of FIV SU. In agreement with the host cell range properties of both viruses, binding of 34TF10 gp95-Fc was observed for all cell lines tested, whereas PPR gp95-Fc bound only to primary feline T cells. 34TF10 gp95-Fc also bound to Jurkat and HeLa cells, consistent with the ability of FIV to use human CXCR4 as a fusion receptor. As expected, 34TF10 gp95-Fc binding to Jurkat cells was blocked by addition of stromal cell-derived factor 1alpha (SDF-1alpha), as was binding to the 3201 feline lymphoma cell line. However, SDF-1alpha, RANTES, macrophage inflammatory protein 1beta, and heparin all failed to inhibit the binding of either gp95-Fc to primary T cells, suggesting that a non-CXCR4 receptor is involved in the binding of FIV SU. In this regard, an unidentified 40-kDa protein species from the surface of primary T cells but not Jurkat and 3201 cells specifically coprecipitated with both gp95-Fc. Yet another type of binding of 34TF10 gp95-Fc to adherent kidney cells was noted. SDF-1alpha failed to block the binding of 34TF10 gp95-Fc to either HeLa, Crandel feline leukemia, or G355-5 cells. However, binding was severely impaired in the presence of soluble heparin, as well as after enzymatic removal of surface heparans or on cells deficient in heparan expression. These overall findings suggest that in addition to CXCR4, a non-CXCR4 receptor and cell-surface heparans also play an important role in FIV gp95 cell surface interactions on specific target cells.

Demonstration that orf2 encodes the feline immunodeficiency virus transactivating (Tat) protein and characterization of a unique gene product with partial rev activity.

The long PCR technique was used to amplify the three size classes of viral mRNAs produced in cells infected by feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV). We identified in the env region a new splice acceptor site that generated two transcripts, each coding for an 11-kDa protein, p11(rev), whose function is unknown. The small-size class of mRNAs included two bicistronic orf2/rev mRNAs and two rev-like mRNAs, consisting only of the second exon of rev and coding for a 15-kDa protein, p15(rev). p15(rev) contained the minimal effector domain of Rev and was sufficient to mediate partial Rev activity. The bicistronic mRNAs encoded two distinct proteins, one of 23 kDa corresponding to Rev and a 9-kDa protein encoded by the orf2 gene. The orf2 gene product is a protein of 79 amino acids with characteristics similar to those of the Tat (transactivator) proteins of the ungulate lentiviruses. Transient expression assays, using the FIV long terminal repeat (LTR) to drive transcription of the bacterial gene for chloramphenicol acetyltransferase demonstrated that the orf2 gene transactivates gene expression an average of 14- to 20-fold above the basal level. Deletion mutants of the FIV LTR were generated to locate sequences responsive to transactivation mediated by the orf2 gene. A 5' deletion mutant that removed the AP1 site resulted in residual low-level transactivation by orf2. Further experiments using LTR mutants with internal deletions identified three regions located between positions -126 and -47 relative to the cap site that were important for orf2-directed transactivation. These regions include the AP1 site, a C/EBP tandem repeat, and an ATF site.

FIV infection of IL-2-dependent and -independent feline lymphocyte lines: host cells range distinctions and specific cytokine upregulation.

We have analyzed the ability of three molecular clones of feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) and an ex vivo variant to infect nine distinct specific-pathogen-free feline cell lines in tissue culture. The purpose of these studies was to elucidate mechanisms by which host cells regulate the level of virus infection and expression and to assess host cell cytokine responses to virus infection. Cells used for the analyzes included four IL-2-dependent continuous T-cell lines (104-C1, 104-C7, MCH5-4 and DB FeTs) which arose from long-term passage, followed by limiting dilution cloning of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs); two IL-2-independent T-cell lines (104-C1DL and MCH5-4DL) which originated from two of the IL-2-dependent lines, 104-C1 and MCH5-4; respectively; Crandell feline kidney cells (CrFK); G355-5 brain-derived glial cells; and the T-cell lymphoma line, 3201. Cells were infected with FIV-PPR, FIV-34TF10, FIV 34TF10orf2rep, and a variant arising from FIV-PPR during ex vivo passage on 104-C1DL cells, termed FIV-PPRglial. Infection of the IL-2-dependent T-cell line, 104-C1, by FIV-PPR resulted in the specific and distinct upregulation of cytokine expression. In particular, these cells doubled their expression of the pleiotropic cytokines, interleukin-4 and interleukin-12 after FIV infection. Interferon-gamma production also increased after infection with FIV whereas, TNFalpha expression remained constant. Also, a marked upregulation of MHC class II expression was noted post infection of MCH5-4 and 104-C1 cells with FIV-PPR. Similar results were obtained after infection with FIV-34TF10orf2rep, indicating that the upregulation of cytokine expression is not an isolate-specific phenomenon. Changes in cytokine and class II expression are similar to various reports for the in vivo cytokine alterations in FIV, SIV and HIV infections. The ex vivo infection of these cell lines offers amanipulable system to examine the mechanism(s) by which lentiviruses alter cytokine expression.

Blocking of feline immunodeficiency virus infection by a monoclonal antibody to CD9 is via inhibition of virus release rather than interference with receptor binding.

A monoclonal antibody, MAb vpg15, inhibits feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) infection in tissue culture. The antibody is directed to a determinant of the feline cell surface marker, CD9, implying that CD9 may serve as a viral receptor or coreceptor in this system. In cells expressing CD9, MAb vpg15 markedly delayed acute virus infection in terms of reverse transcriptase activity detected in cell culture supernatants. This effect was evident if the antibody was added before, immediately after, or 24 h after virus infection. Binding experiments showed that MAb vpg15 did not block virus binding to the cells. PCR analyses at various intervals postinfection also indicated that MAb vpg15 did not block virus uptake, reverse transcription of viral RNA, or integration into host cell DNA. Multiply spliced mRNAs were detected up to 24 h postinfection in both control and MAb vpg15-treated cells. However, viral mRNAs were markedly diminished in MAb vpg15-treated cells after this time, consistent with a failure of the FIV infection to spread in the cell culture. Treatment of chronically infected cells with MAb vpg15 also caused a sharp diminution in viral particle production, while viral mRNA levels were the same in both untreated and MAb-treated infected cells. Analyses of intracellular and extracellular levels of virus-associated antigens showed an enhanced accumulation of intracellular p24. These findings are consistent with the interpretation that MAb vpg15 acts at a posttranscriptional stage by interfering with the assembly and/or release of virus from the cell.

Influence of ORF2 on host cell tropism of feline immunodeficiency virus.

Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) is a lentivirus associated with an immunodeficiency syndrome of the domestic cat. A short open reading frame (ORF2), of unknown function, is present in all FIV isolates. We have investigated the role of ORF2 in determining the cell tropism of two infectious molecular clones of FIV. FIV-PPR is able to productively infect feline peripheral blood leukocytes (PBLs) and a T lymphocyte cell line (MCH5-4), but not a feline astrocyte cell line (G355-5) or Crandell feline kidney cells (CrFK). In contrast, FIV-34TF10 is able to productively infect G355-5 and CrFK cells, but not PBLs or MCH5-4 cells. The major difference in these FIV clones is that ORF2 in FIV-PPR is capable of encoding a 79-amino-acid peptide, whereas there is a stop codon in ORF2 after 43 amino acids in FIV-34TF10. We performed site-directed mutagenesis to change the stop codon (TGA) in FIV-34TF10 to a tryptophan (TGG), the amino acid present at this location in FIV-PPR. FIV-34TF10 with ORF2 repaired (FIV-ORF2rep) productively infected PBLs, MCH5-4 cells, and primary macrophages, as well as CrFK and G355-5 cells, indicating that a protein encoded by ORF2 plays a role in determining the host cell tropism of FIV. ORF2 contains hydrophobic, acidic, and leucine-rich domains similar to those shown to be important for transactivating proteins of other lentiviruses. Coexpression of a plasmid expressing the ORF2 gene product with another construct expressing the chloramphenicol acetyl transferase (CAT) gene driven by the FIV LTR, resulted in transactivation of CAT expression in both feline and human cells.

The generation of monoclonal antibodies recognising novel epitopes by immunisation with solid matrix antigen-antibody complexes reveals a polymorphic determinant on feline CD4.

Monoclonal antibodies were generated against the feline homologue of CD4 (fCD4) by immunisation of mice with solid matrix antigen-antibody complexes of monoclonal antibody Fel7 (anti-fCD4) and formalin-fixed Staphylococcus A (SMAA-fCD4). The resulting fusion produced nine monoclonal antibodies each of which recognised a major population of feline lymphocytes and which immunoprecipitated a 55 kDa ligand from the feline T lymphosarcoma cell line 3201. Epitope mapping of the antibodies against soluble fCD4 by surface plasmon resonance indicated that the antibodies recognised five separate epitopes distinct from that defined by the Fel7 antibody used to prepare the SMAA-fCD4. These data demonstrate that SMAA complexes are an efficient means of generating monoclonal antibodies recognising novel epitopes on an antigen. One monoclonal antibody (vpg39) recognised an epitope that was expressed variably between cats, being either present or completely absent. Analysis of peripheral blood lymphocytes from specific pathogen free cats suggested that failure to react with the vpg39 antibody was an inherited trait.

Unusual amino acid sequence of the second Ig-like domain of the feline CD4 protein.

We have cloned and sequenced the cDNA for cat CD4. The overall amino-acid sequence of cat CD4 is similar to that from the primate and rodent CD4 molecules, with a 58% identity between the cat and human sequences. Comparison to the crystal structure of human CD4 does, however, reveal unusual features in the second Ig-like domain, D2, of cat CD4. First, a reciprocal substitution between a tryptophan and a cysteine, this latter involved in an intrasheet disulfide bond of human D2, is predicted to generate an intrastrand disulfide bond, a feature rarely observed in an Ig-fold. Second, a large serine-threonine-rich insertion is found between the A and B beta strands of D2. This sequence is a potential O-linked glycosylation site, and should protrude in a region that appears flexible in human CD4. This unusual insertion could affect the interaction of cat CD4 with class II molecules, or with FIV, a feline homolog of HIV. The expression of cat CD4 in different environment, or of a mutated human CD4 carrying the cat insertion, should help in understanding the role of cat CD4 as a putative receptor for FIV, and the CD4/MHC class II interaction.