HIV/dendritic cell interaction: consequences in the pathogenesis of HIV infection

Dendritic cells are professional antigen-presenting cells and key elements of both innate and adaptive immunity. Tissues like skin and mucosal epithelium, more exposed to the environment, are particularly rich in dendritic cells. Given that HIV is mainly transmitted through mucosal surfaces, the cellular mechanisms governing the initial interactions between HIV and dendritic cells are crucial for establishing systemic infection in a new host. Upon HIV/dendritic cell interaction, viral particles carried by exposed dendritic cells are transmitted to activated CD4+ T-cells during the antigen presentation process. Such dendritic cell/T-cell transmission of HIV plays an important role in the viral dissemination and immune dysregulation associated with HIV infection, subverting the bridge between innate and adaptive immune responses. Thus, defining how HIV interacts with dendritic cells remains a critical area of research, with downstream implications in the knowledge of pathogenic mechanisms, transmission, vaccine development, and molecular targets for therapeutic intervention. In this review we will, therefore, delve into the mechanisms involved in HIV/dendritic cell interactions that govern viral persistence, cellular trafficking, transmission and restriction, compiling the present knowledge on these subjects and attempting to postulate how some uncertain pathways may shape up and intertwine.