Question

Coreceptor inhibitors block HIV infection by preventing which of the following?

1) binding of the HIV virion onto the plasma membrane

2) binding of the HIV virion onto the CCR5 receptor

3) binding of the HIV virion onto the gp120 protein

4) degrading the coreceptor so the virion cannot attach

5) binding of the HIV virion onto the CD4 receptor

Answer 1

Coreceptor inhibitors block HIV infection by preventing the binding of the HIV virion onto the CCR5 receptor, which is essential for HIV to enter and infect host cells.

Step-by-step explanation:

Coreceptor inhibitors are a class of medication used to prevent HIV infection by blocking the binding of the HIV virion onto coreceptors on the host cell's surface. These drugs target and inhibit the interaction between the HIV virion's envelope glycoproteins and a class of receptors known as chemokine receptors, specifically CCR5 or CXCR4, which are necessary for virus entry into cells. Hence, coreceptor inhibitors prevent the HIV virion from binding to the CCR5 receptor, thereby impeding the HIV life cycle at the entry stage.