title: Antiviral NK cell responses in HIV infection: II. viral strategies for evasion and lessons for immunotherapy and vaccination.
abstract: As is the case in other viral infections, humans respond to HIV infection by activating their NK cells. However, the virus uses several strategies to neutralize and evade the host's NK cell responses. Consequently, it is not surprising that NK cell functions become compromised in HIV-infected individuals in early stages of the infection. The compromised NK cell functions also adversely affect several aspects of the host's antiviral adaptive immune responses. Researchers have made significant progress in understanding how HIV counters NK cell responses of the host. This knowledge has opened new avenues for immunotherapy and vaccination against this infection. In the first part of this review article, we gave an overview of our current knowledge of NK cell biology and discussed how the genes encoding NK cell receptors and their ligands determine innate genetic resistance/susceptibilty of humans against HIV infections and AIDS. In this second part, we discuss NK cell responses, viral strategies to counter these responses, and finally, their implications for anti-HIV immunotherapy and vaccination.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Innate Immunity, Center of Research Ste Justine Hospital, 3175 Côte Ste-Catherine, Montreal, Qc, H3T 1C5, Canada.
authors.forename: Alexandre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Iannello
authors.forename: Olfa
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Debbeche
authors.forename: Suzanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Samarani
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ahmad
mesh_terms: D000920:Antibody-Dependent Cell Cytotoxicity / Q000276:immunology; D006678:HIV / Q000276:immunology*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology; D014611:Vaccination