Clarifying the role of G protein signaling in HIV infection: New approaches to an old question

Abstract

Whether or not HIV gp120-elicited signal transduction through the coreceptors CCR5 and CXCR4 is required for productive viral replication has long been a subject of controversy. The complexity and diversity of G protein signal transduction initiated by chemokine receptor activation has hindered efforts to understand the contributions of these pathways to the HIV life cycle. Several recent studies have demonstrated an important role for G proteins in mediating signaling events through both CCR5 and CXCR4 that are necessary for productive HIV infection. In addition to gp120-mediated G protein activation, there is still much to learn about the impact of G protein signaling during HIV infection,..