[Linking Nef with the immunological and virological determinants of AIDS].
Nef is an accessory protein from HIV-1 involved in viral replication, depletion of CD4 + T cells and progression to AIDS. The participation of Nef in altering several of the cellular and subcellular components has been studied in detail. The finding that infected patients over 15 years with HIV-1 variants that expressed a defective nef gene had not progressed to AIDS, suggested that Nef played a decisive role in the outcome of AIDS, through the regulation of different virological and immunological components. In addition, the mere expression of Nef is able to induce AIDS in transgenic mice and alter the kinetics of replication of the virus in infected monkeys. This review examines the relationship between the expression of Nef and the ultimate consequences of HIV-1 infection, taking into account the most relevant clinical parameters: viral load, counting of CD4 + T cells and progression to AIDS. Under this approach, it is emphasized the role of Nef as immunomodulator and also as independent mediator of damage to the immune system.
Gómez-Icazbalceta
Guillermo
G
Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México< DF. ggicazbalceta@gmail.com
Larralde
Carlos
C
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D000818:Animals; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis; D018450:Disease Progression; D015754:Genes, nef; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D020276:HIV Long-Term Survivors; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000502:physiology*; D000882:Haplorhini; D006801:Humans; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D008954:Models, Biological; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D019562:Viral Load; D014779:Virus Replication; D054311:nef Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*
D016207:Cytokines; D054311:nef Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus; C514837:nef protein, Human immunodeficiency virus 1