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Updated: Aug 1, 2026

In Vitro Assay to Evaluate the Impact of Immunoregulatory Pathways on HIV-specific CD4 T Cell Effector Function
Published on: October 16, 2013
Processing by CD26/dipeptidyl-peptidase IV reduces the chemotactic and anti-HIV-1 activity of stromal-cell-derived
1Laboratory of Molecular Immunology, Rega Institute for Medical Research, University of Leuven, Belgium. Paul.Proost@rega.kuleuven.ac.be
The chemokine stromal-cell-derived factor-1alpha (SDF-1alpha) chemoattracts lymphocytes and CD34+ haematopoietic progenitors and is the ligand for CXCR4 (CXC chemokine receptor 4), the main co-receptor for T-tropic HIV-1 strains. SDF-1alpha was NH2-terminally cleaved to SDF-1alpha(3-68) by dipeptidyl-peptidase IV (CD26/DPP IV), which is present in blood in soluble and membrane-bound form. SDF-1alpha(3-68) lost both lymphocyte chemotactic and CXCR4-signaling properties. However, SDF-1alpha(3-68) still desensitized the SDF-1alpha(1-68)-induced Ca2+ response. In contrast to CD26/DPP IV-processed RANTES(3-68), SDF-1alpha(3-68) had diminished potency to inhibit HIV-1 infection. Thus, CD26/DPP IV impairs the inflammatory and haematopoietic potency of chemokines but plays a dual role in AIDS.
The chemokine stromal-cell-derived factor-1alpha (SDF-1alpha) chemoattracts lymphocytes and CD34+ haematopoietic progenitors and is the ligand for CXCR4 (CXC chemokine receptor 4), the main co-receptor for T-tropic HIV-1 strains. SDF-1alpha was NH2-terminally cleaved to SDF-1alpha(3-68) by dipeptidyl-peptidase IV (CD26/DPP IV), which is present in blood in soluble and membrane-bound form. SDF-1alpha(3-68) lost both lymphocyte chemotactic and CXCR4-signaling properties. However, SDF-1alpha(3-68) still desensitized the SDF-1alpha(1-68)-induced Ca2+ response. In contrast to CD26/DPP IV-processed RANTES(3-68), SDF-1alpha(3-68) had diminished potency to inhibit HIV-1 infection. Thus, CD26/DPP IV impairs the inflammatory and haematopoietic potency of chemokines but plays a dual role in AIDS.

