Cofactor requirement for human immunodeficiency virus type 1 entry into a CD4-expressing human cell line.

Expression of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) receptor CD4 on many nonhuman and some human cell lines is not sufficient to permit HIV-1 infection. We describe a human glioblastoma cell line (U373-MG) which remains resistant to HIV-1 despite the added expression of an authentic CD4 molecule. The block to HIV-1 infection of these cells is strain independent and appears to be at viral entry. Heterokaryons of CD4-expressing U373-MG (U373-CD4) cells fused to HeLa cells allow HIV-1 entry. A U373-CD4/HeLa hybrid clone allows efficient HIV-1 replication. These results suggest that HeLa cells express a factor(s) that can complement the viral entry defect of U373-CD4 cells and is necessary for efficient CD4-mediated HIV-1 infection.