Mucosal T-cell responses to HIV: responding at the front lines.
Mucosal surfaces of the body serve as the major portal of entry for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). These tissues also house a majority of the body's lymphocytes, including the CD4(+) T cells that are the major cellular target for HIV infection. Mucosal surfaces are defended by innate and adaptive immune mechanisms, including secreted antibodies and CD8(+) cytotoxic T cells (CTL). CTL in mucosal lymphoid tissues may serve to limit viral replication, decreasing the host's viral burden as well as reducing the likelihood of sexual transmission to a naïve host. This review summarizes recent literature on HIV-specific T-cell responses in mucosal tissues, with an emphasis on the gastrointestinal tract.
Shacklett
B L
BL
Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA. blshacklett@ucdavis.edu
Critchfield
J W
JW
Ferre
A L
AL
Hayes
T L
TL
D000818:Animals; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D006678:HIV / Q000276:immunology*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D018023:HIV Seronegativity / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*