Diversity of receptors binding HIV on dendritic cell subsets

Abstract

The ability of HIV-1 to use dendritic cells (DCs) for transport and to transfer virus to activated T cells in the lymph node may be crucial in early HIV-1 pathogenesis. We have characterized primary DCs for the receptors involved in viral envelope attachment and observed that C-type lectin receptor (CLR) binding was predominant in skin DCs, whereas binding to emigrating and tonsil DCs was CD4-dependent. No one CLR was solely responsible for envelope binding on all skin DC subsets. DC-SIGN (DC-specific ICAM-3-grabbing nonintegrin) was only expressed by CD 14+CDIaIo dermal DCs. The mannose receptor was expressed by CD1ahi and CD14+CD1alo dermal DCs, and langerin was expressed by Langerhans cells. The diversity of CLRs able to bind HIV-I in skin DCs may reflect their ability to bind a range of microbial glycoproteins.