New players in cytokine control of HIV infection.
Cytokines are involved early in the pathogenesis of HIV infection and disease progression as a component of immunologic dysregulation and immunodeficiency and as determinants controlling virus replication. Several steps, before and after retroviral integration into host DNA in T cells and macrophages, are affected by cytokines whereas CCR5 and CXCR4 binding chemokines can interfere with viral entry. A growing number of potential players--including the gamma-common interleukin (IL)-7, IL-15, and IL-21 together with IL-17, IL-18, IL-19, IL-20, IL-23, and IL-27--are discussed in terms of their perturbation in HIV infection and of their effects on virus replication. Thus, an increasing intersection of HIV infection and the cytokine network represents a crucial determinant of virus replication and immunologic dysregulation and will likely play a key role in the development of effective strategies of HIV prevention and immunologic reconstitution.
Alfano
Massimo
M
P2/P3 Laboratories, DIBIT, Via Olgettina n. 58, 20132, Milano, Italy.
Crotti
Andrea
A
Vicenzi
Elisa
E
Poli
Guido
G
D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000821:virology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D006801:Humans; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000276:immunology*
D016207:Cytokines