The main target of HIV studied from every angle

By closely studying CCR5, one of the entry points of HIV into cells, researchers from Inserm, the Institut Pasteur, the University of Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier, the CNRS and IBS, demonstrate that its morphology determines the propensity of the virus to infect the body. This work supported by the ANRS and published in the Plos Pathogens journal is a new step towards understanding the role of CCR5 in HIV infection and as a target for blocking the entry of the virus into cells (details).

CCR5 structural plasticity shapes HIV-1 phenotypic properties. Colin P, Zhou Z, Staropoli I, Garcia-Perez J, Gasser R, Armani-Tourret M, Benureau Y, Gonzalez N, Jin J, Connell BJ, Raymond S, Delobel P, Izopet J, Lortat-Jacob H, Alcami J, Arenzana-Seisdedos F, Brelot A, Lagane B. PLoS Pathog. 2018 Dec 6 ;14(12):e1007432. doi : 10.1371/journal.ppat.1007432. eCollection 2018 Dec.