cis expression of DC-SIGN allows for more efficient entry of human and simian immunodeficiency viruses via CD4 and a coreceptor

DC-SIGN is a C-type lectin expressed on dendritic cells and restricted macrophage populations in vivo that binds gp120 and acts in trans to enable efficient infection of T cells by human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). We report here that DC-SIGN, when expressed in cis with CD4 and coreceptors, allowed more efficient infection by both HIV and simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) strains, although the extent varied from 2- to 40-fold, depending on the virus strain. Expression of DC-SIGN on target cells did not alleviate the requirement for CD4 or coreceptor for viral entry. Stable expression of DC-SIGN on multiple lymphoid lines enabled more efficient entry and replication of R5X4 and X4 viruses. Thus, 10- and 100-fold less 89.6 (R5/X4) and NL4-3 (X4), respectively, were required to achieve productive replication in DC-SIGN-transduced Jurkat cells when compared to the parental cell line. In addition, DC-SIGN expression on T-cell lines that express very low levels of CCR5 enabled entry and replication of R5 viruses in a CCR5-dependent manner, a property not exhibited by the parental cell lines. Therefore, DC-SIGN expression can boost virus infection in cis and can expand viral tropism without affecting coreceptor preference. In addition, coexpression of DC-SIGN enabled some viruses to use alternate coreceptors like STRL33 to infect cells, whereas in its absence, infection was not observed. Immunohistochemical and confocal microscopy data indicated that DC-SIGN was coexpressed and colocalized with CD4 and CCR5 on alveolar macrophages, underscoring the physiological significance of these cis enhancement effects.