title: Innate immunity and chronic immune activation in HCV/HIV-1 co-infection.
abstract: Innate immune responses are critical in the defense against viral infections. NK cells, myeloid and plasmacytoid dendritic cells, and invariant CD1d-restricted NKT cells mediate both effector and regulatory functions in this early immune response. In chronic uncontrolled viral infections such as HCV and HIV-1, these essential immune functions are compromised and can become a double edged sword contributing to the immunopathogenesis of viral disease. In particular, recent findings indicate that innate immune responses play a central role in the chronic immune activation which is a primary driver of HIV-1 disease progression. HCV/HIV-1 co-infection is affecting millions of people and is associated with faster viral disease progression. Here, we review the role of innate immunity and chronic immune activation in HCV and HIV-1 infection, and discuss how mechanisms of innate immunity may influence protection as well as immunopathogenesis in the HCV/HIV-1 co-infected human host.
authors.affiliation: Center for Infection Medicine, Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, 14186 Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Veronica D
authors.initials: VD
authors.lastname: Gonzalez
authors.forename: Alan L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Landay
authors.forename: Johan K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Sandberg
mesh_terms: D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000276:immunology; D018450:Disease Progression; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology*; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000276:immunology; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000276:immunology; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D016898:Interferon-alpha; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors