Related Experiment Videos
T cell dynamics in HIV-1 infection
Daniel C Douek1, Louis J Picker, Richard A Koup
1Human Immunology Section Vaccine Research Center, NIAID, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA. ddouek@mail.nih.gov
Annual Review of Immunology
|January 14, 2003
Summary
Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection leads to immune destruction. HIV-1 pathogenesis involves complex interactions, including T cell loss and impaired regeneration, not just viral cytopathicity.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Virology
- Pathogenesis
Background:
- Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) causes chronic immune system destruction, leading to fatal immunodeficiency.
- Despite extensive viral replication, immune deterioration, particularly CD4(+) T cell loss, is slow, posing a paradox in understanding HIV-1 pathogenesis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review current data on HIV-1 pathogenesis.
- To present a model explaining the protracted loss of CD4(+) T cells during HIV-1 infection.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing scientific literature on HIV-1 pathogenesis.
- Development of a theoretical model integrating viral and host immune factors.
Main Results:
- HIV-1 pathogenesis is a complex interplay between the virus and immune system mechanisms governing T cell homeostasis and regeneration.
- Protracted CD4(+) T cell loss results from early viral destruction of memory T cells, increased T cell turnover, lymphoid tissue damage, and limited T cell renewal.
Conclusions:
- CD4(+) T cell-directed viral cytopathicity alone does not fully explain HIV-1-induced immunodeficiency.
- A comprehensive model incorporating viral destruction, immune dysregulation, and regenerative capacity is crucial for understanding HIV-1 progression.