How Does the Antiviral Drug Maraviroc, Which was Developed to Inhibit

Question

How does the antiviral drug maraviroc, which was developed to inhibit entry of HIV, function?
A) It binds to the gp120 protein on the surface of the HIV virion.
B) It binds to the gp41 protein in the envelope of HIV.
C) It binds to the host protein CCR5.
D) It binds to the host protein CD4.
E) It binds to the lipids in the envelope of HIV and prevents membrane fusion.

Accepted Answer

Maraviroc is a CCR5 antagonist, which means it binds to and inhibits the CCR5 protein on the surface of CD4+ T-cells. HIV uses the CCR5 protein to enter host immune cells, so by inhibiting CCR5, maraviroc prevents the entry of the virus into host cells.