1.
J Virol
; 74(2): 1004-7, 2000 Jan.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-10623764
ABSTRACT
Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) growth in lymphocyte cultures was increased when the virus inoculum was incubated in breast milk. The enhancing effect of milk was abolished by anti-cathepsin D antibody or by pepstatin A, a cathepsin D inhibitor. The cathepsin D-producing CD4-negative MCF7 mammary cells supported the growth of some HIV-1 isolates. An MCF7 line chronically producing HIV-1 IIIb was obtained. Cathepsin D may induce conformational modification of viral gp120, allowing direct interaction with a coreceptor. We demonstrated the presence of CXCR4 mRNA in MCF7 cells.