DIRECT INTERACTION OF COMPLEMENT FACTOR-H WITH THE C1 DOMAIN OF HIV TYPE-1 GLYCOPROTEIN-120

A protein that binds specifically to Env 105-119 (HEDIISLWDQSLKPC) was found in pools of normal human plasma when this peptide was used in a ffinity chromatography procedures. These samples represented the negat ive control in experiments aimed at the purification of putative human antibodies to the Env 105-119 region from AIDS sera, In this article we describe the biochemical characterization of this protein, which tu rned out to be complement factor H (CFH). We propose a functional role for this protein in the complex, early steps of CD4-dependent HIV inf ection.