Direct involvement of extracellular HIV-1 virions in the apoptosis of CD8+ lymphocytes: a two-step model.
Lymphocytes of the CD8 phenotype play an important role in controlling viral burden in HIV-1 infection. Cytotoxic CD8+ T lymphocytes (CTL) can kill HIV-infected cells and in addition, are able to secrete a soluble factor that inhibits HIV replication. In most cases, HIV-infected individuals experience an unexplained CD8+ lymphopenia during the advanced stage of the disease that particularly affect HIV-1-specific CTL. It has been reported that CD8+ lymphocytes in HIV-infected individuals undergo programmed cell death or apoptosis. We now present a two-step model to explain CD8+ apoptosis, based on anchorage of HIV-1-associated MHC class 1 antigen into the envelope of extracellular viral particles.
Mercure
L
L
McGill University AIDS Centre, Lady Davis Institute--Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Wainberg
M A
MA
D017209:Apoptosis; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; D006801:Humans; D008231:Lymphopenia / Q000209:etiology; D008954:Models, Biological; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*
D016827:CD8 Antigens; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell