Th1 and th2 responses, HIV-1 coreceptors, and HIV-1 infection.
The Th1/Th2 model provides an interesting paradigm for understanding several pathophysiological processes and possibly for developing new immunotherapeutical strategies. In HIV-1 infection the interaction between the type of HIV-1 strain and the pathway of the ongoing T-cell effector response, despite its complexity, may represent one of the crucial mechanisms in determining the outcome of virus infection. While the possibility of an HIV-1-driven Th1 to Th2 switch of the immune response is still debated, evidence is accumulating to suggest that cytokines produced during an immune response can contribute to promote a selective pressure toward the evolution of HIV-1 viral strains with different tropism. This article summarizes the results of our recent studies in which the expression of CCR5 and CXCR4 HIV-1 co-receptors, as well as the activity of R5- or X4- tropic strains of HIV-1 in different in vitro models of Th1/Th2 polarization was analyzed.
Galli
G
G
Department of Internal Medicine, University of Florence, Italy.
Annunziato
F
F
Cosmi
L
L
Manetti
R
R
Maggi
E
E
Romagnani
S
S
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000276:immunology*; D016764:Cell Polarity; D018946:Chemokine CCL5 / Q000502:physiology; D015497:HIV-1; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000494:pharmacology; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000494:pharmacology; D019713:Receptors, CCR5 / Q000032:analysis / Q000502:physiology*; D019718:Receptors, CXCR4 / Q000032:analysis / Q000502:physiology*; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology*
D018946:Chemokine CCL5; D019713:Receptors, CCR5; D019718:Receptors, CXCR4; D018664:Interleukin-12; D015847:Interleukin-4