Evidence for cell surface association between CXCR4 and ganglioside GM3 after gp120 binding in SupT1 lymphoblastoid cells

CXCR4 (fusin) is a chemokine receptor which is involved as a coreceptor in gp120 binding to the cell surface. In this study we provide evidence that binding of gp120 triggers CXCR4 recruitment to glycosphingolipid-enriched microdomains. Scanning confocal microscopy showed a nearly complete localization of CXCR4 within GM3-enriched plasma membrane domains of SupT1 cells and coimmunoprecipitation experiments revealed that CXCR4 was immunoprecipitated by IgG anti-GM3 after gp120 pretreatment. These findings reveal that gp120 binding induces a strict association between CXCR4 and ganglioside GM3, supporting the view that GM3 and CXCR4 are components of a functional multimolecular complex critical for HIV-1 entry. (C) 2001 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. on behalf of the Federation of European Biochemical Societies.