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HIV-1 egress is gated through late endosomal membranes

Sascha Nydegger1, Michelangelo Foti, Aaron Derdowski

  • 1Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, College of Medicine and CALS, 318 Stafford Hall, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405, USA.

Traffic (Copenhagen, Denmark)
|November 18, 2003
PubMed

Insights

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) structural proteins accumulate in the late endocytic compartment, suggesting HIV-1 assembly is linked to the cell's endosomal system.

Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Virology
  • Immunology

Background:

  • Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) buds from activated T lymphocytes.
  • In macrophages, HIV-1 particles accumulate within intracellular compartments.
  • Previous studies suggest the vacuolar protein sorting pathway is involved in retroviral budding.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the intracellular location of HIV-1 structural protein accumulation.
  • To determine if HIV-1 morphogenesis is associated with the endosomal system.

Main Methods:

  • Live-cell imaging techniques.
  • Immunocytochemistry.
  • Immuno-electron microscopy.

Main Results:

  • HIV-1 structural proteins, especially Gag, accumulate at the late endocytic compartment membranes.
  • This accumulation occurs in various cell types, not exclusively in monocyte/macrophage-derived cells.
  • Findings align with prior studies implicating the vacuolar protein sorting pathway.

Conclusions:

  • HIV-1 morphogenesis is intrinsically linked to the endosomal system.
  • The late endocytic pathway is a key site for HIV-1 assembly.

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