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Recognition of Apoptotic Cells by Viruses and Cytolytic Lymphocytes: Target Selection in the Fog of War

David Schwartz1, Sujatha Iyengar1

  • 1Jurist Research Department, Hackensack University Medical Center, Hackensack, New Jersey.

Viral Immunology
|April 15, 2020
PubMed

Insights

Viruses and immune cells avoid engaging dying cells by sensing membrane changes. This study shows human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) detects apoptotic cells, preventing wasteful infection.

Area of Science:

  • Virology
  • Immunology
  • Cell Biology

Background:

  • Viruses and cytotoxic lymphocytes (e.g., cytotoxic T lymphocytes, natural killer cells) encounter dying cells and debris.
  • Engaging apoptotic cells is detrimental, representing wasted resources for viruses (suicide via fusion) and immune cells (inefficient killing, potential host death).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of the target cell's membrane cytoskeleton in signaling target suitability for viruses and immune cells.
  • To provide evidence that viruses, specifically HIV, can detect and avoid infecting apoptotic cells.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of virus and immune cell interactions within environments containing apoptotic cells.
  • Experimental investigation of HIV's ability to detect and respond to apoptotic cell characteristics.

Main Results:

  • The membrane cytoskeleton of target cells serves as a crucial indicator of target suitability for both viruses and cytotoxic immune cells.
  • Experimental data demonstrates that HIV can detect apoptotic cells and avoid fusion, thereby maintaining infectivity.

Conclusions:

  • The membrane cytoskeleton is a key determinant for target cell engagement by viruses and cytotoxic lymphocytes.
  • HIV exhibits a mechanism to recognize and evade apoptotic cells, safeguarding its infectivity and potentially influencing viral pathogenesis.
Keywords:
CTLHIVNKapoptoticcytoskeletonlytic synapse

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