HIV-1 gp120 impairs B cell proliferation by inducing TGF-1 production and FcRL4 expression via an 47-dependent mechanism

The anti-HIV humoral immune response following acute infection is delayed and ineffective. HIV envelope protein gp120 binds to and signals through 47 on T cells. We show that gp120 also binds and signals through 47 on B cells, resulting in an abortive proliferative response. In primary B cells, gp120 signaling through 47 resulted in increased expression of TGF-1 and the B cell inhibitory receptor FcRL4. Co-culture of B cells with HIV-infected autologous CD4+ T cells also resulted in increased B cell FcRL4 expression. These findings indicate that, in addition to inducing chronic immune activation, viral proteins can contribute directly to HIV-associated B cell dysfunction, thus providing a mechanism whereby the virus subverts the early HIV-specific humoral immune response.

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Jelicic K, Cimbro R, Nawaz F, Huang da W, Zheng X, Yang J, Lempicki RA, Pascuccio M, Van Ryk D, Schwing C, Hiatt J, Okwara N, Wei D, Roby G, David A, Hwang IY, Kehrl JH, Arthos J, Cicala C, Fauci AS