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Updated: Jun 12, 2026
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Ex Vivo Infection of Human Lymphoid Tissue and Female Genital Mucosa with Human Immunodeficiency Virus 1 and Histoculture
Published on: October 12, 2018
HIV-1 replication activates CD4+ T cells with specificities for persistent herpes viruses
Anna Haas1, Manuela Rehr, Frederik Graw
1Institute of Microbiology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
EMBO Molecular Medicine
|June 10, 2010
Summary
Untreated HIV-1 infection causes CD4+ T cell hyperactivation. This study reveals HIV replication activates CD4+ T cells targeting persistent herpesviruses by engaging dendritic cells, contributing to chronic immune activation.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Virology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Hyperactivation of CD4+ T cells is a key feature of untreated HIV-1 infection.
- The specific antigens and mechanisms driving this T cell activation are not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the antigenic specificities of activated CD4+ T cells during HIV-1 infection and HIV rebound.
- To elucidate the mechanisms underlying CD4+ T cell activation in the context of HIV replication.
Main Methods:
- Monitoring dynamics of HIV-specific and herpesvirus-specific CD4+ T cell responses during HIV rebound.
- Assessing expression of activation markers on dendritic cells (DCs).
- Evaluating the capacity of activated DCs to restimulate memory T cells.
Main Results:
- CD4+ T cell responses to HIV correlated with responses to persistent herpesviral antigens, but not non-persistent antigens.
- HIV and herpesvirus-specific CD4+ T cell dynamics correlated with DC activation marker expression.
- Activated DCs demonstrated enhanced capacity to restimulate memory T cells.
Conclusions:
- HIV replication costimulates CD4+ T cells specific for persistent herpesviral antigens through DC activation.
- A significant portion of activated CD4+ T cells in untreated HIV infection may target herpesviruses.
- This identifies a novel mechanism contributing to chronic immune activation in HIV-1 infection.
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