Association of host cell surface adhesion receptors and other membrane proteins with HIV and SIV.

We have developed a MAb-based capture assay to study the association of host cell membrane proteins with HIV and SIV. Class I and II MHC proteins were found to be associated with HIV as previously described. In addition to these molecules a number of other host molecules were found to be acquired by HIV, including CD71, CD63, CD43, and CD8. We have demonstrated that the major leukocyte adhesion receptors LFA-1 (CD11A/CD18) and CD44 are also associated with HIV. The level of surface expression of host membrane proteins did not predict relative expression (capture efficiency) of the virus. The use of virus-susceptible indicator cells showed that the assay involved host membrane protein-mediated capture of infectious HIV and SIV particles. Our data indicate that HIV and SIV acquire a number of host membrane proteins including adhesion receptors and that this process may be nonrandom. The acquisition of host cell adhesion receptors by HIV and SIV could have profound effects on the biology of the viruses, including binding, infectivity, and tropism.