Monocytes and immune evasion strategies in HIV: Unraveling the intricacies

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) employs sophisticated immune evasion strategies to establish persistent infection within the host. Monocytes, crucial components of the innate immune system, play a pivotal role in shaping the immune response against HIV. This review delves into the intricate interplay between monocytes and HIV, focusing on the virus's strategies to evade immune surveillance and the implications for disease progression. The phenotypic diversity of monocyte subsets, including classical, intermediate, and non-classical monocytes, adds complexity to their roles in HIV pathogenesis. The virus exploits monocytes as both targets for infection and reservoirs, impacting viral dissemination and persistence. Understanding the mechanisms of monocyte-HIV interactions is crucial for unraveling the dynamics of immune evasion. HIV employs various immune evasion strategies that directly manipulate monocyte functions. These include viral entry mechanisms that exploit monocyte receptors, modulation of monocyte cytokine responses, and interference with antigen presentation. The virus also shapes the monocyte phenotype to establish a pro-inflammatory environment that fosters viral replication while evading immune detection.