Structural studies of chemokines that inhibit HIV-1 entry

Abstract

The chemokine receptors CCR5 and CXCR4 have emerged as essential mediators of HIV-1 pathophysiology, functioning as co-receptors for viral entry into cells. The physiological agonists of these receptors inhibit HIV-1 infection in vitro. The discovery of small molecules that disrupt the interactions between HIV-1 and chemokine receptors is one strategy to limit the spread of the virus. These compounds will complement already existing therapies that include HIV-1 reverse transcriptase and protease inhibitors. The complete structural elucidation of a chemokine ligand-receptor complex would be valuable for rational drug design, but has yet to be achieved. Structural studies of chemokine agonists and antagonists can also be useful in understanding interactions that may be important for drug optimization. This review examines the surface properties of the chemokine ligands human SDF-1alpha and HHV-8 vMIP-II, with a goal of determining receptor-interacting sites. In combination with site-directed mutagenesis of the chemokines and structure-activity relationships of chemokine-based peptides, this approach will lead to a better understanding of the interactions in the chemokine ligand-receptor system.