HIV-1 Vpu Promotes Phagocytosis of Infected CD4(+) T Cells by Macrophages through Downregulation of CD47

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) remodels the cell surface of infected cells to facilitate viral dissemination and promote immune evasion. The membrane-associated viral protein U (Vpu) accessory protein encoded by HIV-1 plays a key role in this process by altering cell surface levels of multiple host proteins. Using an unbiased quantitative plasma membrane profiling approach, we previously identified CD47 as a putative host target downregulated by Vpu. CD47 is a ubiquitously expressed cell surface protein that interacts with the myeloid cell inhibitory receptor signal regulatory protein-alpha (SIRPα) to deliver a “don’t-eat-me” signal, thus protecting cells from phagocytosis. In this study, we investigate whether CD47 modulation by HIV-1 Vpu might promote the susceptibility of macrophages to viral infection via phagocytosis of infected CD4(+) T cells. Indeed, we find that Vpu downregulates CD47 expression on infected CD4(+) T cells, leading to enhanced capture and phagocytosis by macrophages. We further provide evidence that this Vpu-dependent process allows a C-C chemokine receptor type 5 (CCR5)-tropic transmitted/founder (T/F) virus, which otherwise poorly infects macrophages in its cell-free form, to efficiently infect macrophages. Importantly, we show that HIV-1-infected cells expressing a Vpu-resistant CD47 mutant are less prone to infecting macrophages through phagocytosis. Mechanistically, Vpu forms a physical complex with CD47 through its transmembrane domain and targets the latter for lysosomal degradation. These results reveal a novel role of Vpu in modulating macrophage infection, which has important implications for HIV-1 transmission in early stages of infection and the establishment of viral reservoir.