Human glomerular epithelial cell express CD4 and interaction with gp120 protein promotes PYK2 tyrosine phosphorylation.

Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) is the predominant glomerular lesion in patients with HIV infection. Visceral glomerular epithelial cell (vGEC) injury is a key feature of this glomerular lesion. However, the exact mechanism of HIV-1-induced vGEC injury is not clear. We studied the presence of CD4 (HIV-1 receptor) in vGECs. vGECs were cultured from human kidneys and used during the 5th to 10th passages. Immunocytochemical studies were carried out to visualize CD4 receptors in these cells. Protein and RNA were extracted from vGECs and renal cortical tissues. Western and Northern blots were generated and probed for the expression of CD4. To determine the downstream effect of ligand receptor interaction, vGECs were treated either with variable concentrations of HIV-1 gp120 protein (0.001 to 0.1 microg/ml) for 1 min or with a fixed dose of gp120 protein (0.01 microg/ml) for variable time periods (0 to 10 min), and at the end of the incubation period, tyrosine phosphorylation of pyk2 was studied. Immunocytochemical studies showed the presence of CD4 receptors in vGECs. Western and Northern blot studies confirmed the presence of CD4 expression in these cells. gp120 protein promoted vGEC tyrosine phosphorylation of pyk2 in a dose- and time-dependent manner. The present study provides a mechanistical insight for the role of HIV-1 in the development of glomerular injury in patients with HIV infection.