Use of Murine CXCR-4 as a Second Receptor by Some T-Cell-Tropic Human Immunodeficiency Viruses

The human CXCR-4 molecule serves as a second receptor for primary, T-cell-tropic, and laboratory-adapted human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) isolates. Here we show that murine CXCR-4 can support the entry of some of these HIV-1 isolates. Differences between mouse and human CXCR-4 in the ability to function as an HIV-1 receptor are determined by sequences in the second extracellular loop of the CXCR-4 protein.