title: The HIV-1-containing macrophage compartment: a perfect cellular niche?
abstract: Macrophages are a major target of HIV-1 infection and are believed to act as viral reservoirs and mediators of HIV-1-associated neurological damage. These pathological roles may be associated with the ability of the virus to assemble and accumulate in apparently intracellular compartments in macrophages. These so-called virus-containing compartments were initially thought to be late endosomes or multivesicular bodies, but it has since been shown that they are distinct structures that have complex three-dimensional morphology, a unique set of protein markers, and features such as a near-neutral pH and frequent connections to the extracellular milieu. These features appear to protect HIV-1 from hostile elements both within and outside the cell. This review discusses the cellular and molecular characteristics of HIV-1-containing compartments in macrophages and how they offer a safe haven for the virus, with important consequences for pathogenesis.
authors.affiliation: The Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, The University of Oxford, Oxford OX13RE, UK.
authors.forename: Joshua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Quentin J
authors.initials: QJ
authors.lastname: Sattentau
mesh_terms: D015497:HIV-1 / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008264:Macrophages / Q000821:virology*; D015388:Organelles / Q000821:virology*
keywords: HIV-1; cell-to-cell spread; immune evasion; macrophage; virus containing compartment