title: Cell death in HIV pathogenesis and its modulation by retinoids.
abstract: Patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus exhibit a progressive decline in the CD4 T-cell number, resulting in immunodeficiency and increased susceptibility to opportunistic infections and malignancies. Although CD4 T cell production is impaired in patients infected with HIV, there is now increasing evidence that the primary basis of T cell depletion is accelerated apoptosis of CD4 and CD8 T cells. The rate of lymphocyte apoptosis in HIV infection correlates inversely with the progression of the disease: it is low in long-term progressors and in patients undergoing highly active antiretroviral therapy. Interestingly, only a minor fraction of apoptotic lymphocytes are infected by HIV, indicating that the enhanced apoptosis does not necessarily always serve to remove the HIV+ cells and results from mechanisms other than direct infection. Thus, understanding and influencing the mechanisms of HIV-associated lymphocyte apoptosis may lead to new therapies for HIV disease. In this paper the potential effects of retinoids on CD4 T cell apoptosis is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and MolecularBiology, Medical and Health Science Center, University of Debrecen, Hungary.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Szondy
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tóth
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Szegezdi
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Reichert
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ancian
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fésüs
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D006678:HIV / Q000235:genetics; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D012176:Retinoids / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology*; D014764:Viral Proteins
chemical_list: D012176:Retinoids; D014764:Viral Proteins