PEPTIDE-T FROM HUMAN-IMMUNODEFICIENCY-VIRUS DOES NOT INTERACT WITH VIP RECEPTOR-EFFECTOR SYSTEM IN IMMUNOCOMPETENT CELLS OF RAT AND MOUSE

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is initiated by attachmen t of the virus to specific target cells. An octapeptide sequence conta ined within the envelope of HIV, peptide T, mediates the viral binding . Since there is an appreciable structural similarity between peptide T and an eight amino acid sequence of VIP, it is interesting to invest igate the interaction of peptide T with the VIP receptor-effector syst em of immunocompetent cells from both rat and mouse. In this paper, we show the lack of interaction between peptide T and VIP receptor-effec tor system in peripheral blood lymphocytes, spleen lymphocytes and mac rophages of rat and in macrophages of mouse. These results do not supp ort the hypothesis that HIV through peptide T may interact with the VI P receptor-effector system present in immunocompetent cells.