Recombinant HIV envelope expressed in an alpha-glucosidase I-deficient CHO cell line and its parental cell line in the presence of 1-deoxynojirimycin is functional

alpha-Glucosidase inhibitors-e.g., 1-deoxynojirimycin (DNM)-interfere with HIV infectivity in CD4(+) cell cultures but have proven unsuccessful in clinical trials. In vitro, several HIV Env properties, including the cleavage of the Env precursor gp160, the immunoreactivity of the third variable domain (V3) of Env, the binding to the CD4 receptor, and the induction of the membrane fusion between the virus and the host cell, have been reported to be altered by such inhibitors. We have studied these properties for Env expressed via a recombinant vaccinia virus in two Chinese hamster ovary cell lines, an alpha-glucosidase I-deficient cell line and its parental cell line, treated with DNM under conditions that have been reported to alter Env properties. The glycosylation of Env, but not the quantity produced, varied in accordance with the experimental conditions. However, irrespective of these conditions, Env cleavage, V3 immunoreactivity, CD4 binding, membrane expression, and ability to induce syncytium formation were similar. Thus, neither the alpha-glucosidase I deficiency nor DNM treatment had a significant effect on the properties of Env produced here. Cellular mechanisms that may allow the normal expression of Env are discussed and may offer an explanation for the many discrepant results obtained to date on the effects of DNM on HIV Env. (C) 1997 Academic Press.