Implication of the major antigen cruzipain in the inhibition of HIV-1 replication cycle.

<p>(<b>A</b>) Cells were infected with either VSV-G or BaL pseudotyped viruses in the presence of 0.001; 0.1 and 10 µg/ml of cruzipain (Cz). Luciferase activity was measured in cell lysates 96 h p.i. Results are expressed as relative light units per second (RLU/sec), presented as a percentage relative to the control (100%), where the histogram in white corresponds to the percentage of infection with the respective control virus and the histogram in black corresponds to the percentage of infection in the presence of the parasite. A representative experiment of 3 is shown. (<b>B</b>) Production of p24 antigen at day 8 p.i. in cells treated with 0.1 and 10 µg/ml of cruzipain. Results are expressed as mean±SD of triplicates of infection and a representative experiment of 3 others is shown. (<b>C</b>) Influence of cruzipain on cell surface expression of CD4 and CCR5 after overnight infection in the presence of 0.1 µg/ml of cruzipain. Histograms in grey correspond to isotype control. Results are representative of at least 3 independent experiments. * <i>p</i><0.01. (<b>D</b>) Cells were infected with BaL isolate in the presence or absence of polymyxin, and p24 antigen production was measured at day 8 p.i. Results are expressed as mean±SD of triplicates of infection and a representative experiment of 3 is shown.