We demonstrated previously that CD45RA(+) CD4(+) T cells are infected primarily by syncytium-inducing (SI) HIV-1 variants, whereas CD45RO(+) CD4(+) T cells harbor both non-SI (NSI) and SI HIV-1 variants. Here, we studied evolution of tropism for CD45RA(+) and CD45RO(+) CD4(+) cells, coreceptor usage, and molecular phylogeny of coexisting NSI and SI HIV-1 clones that were isolated from four pati...

CD7 and CD57 are two cell surface molecules related to the differentiation or functional stages of CD4+ T cells. The CD4+CD7- T cells represent a minor subset of CD4+ cells in normal individuals and are considered to contain the normal counterpart of Sézary T cells; the CD4+CD57+ peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) are detectable in long-term renal allograft recipients. We compared the cell surf...

Developing robust in vitro models of HIV latency is needed to better understand how latency is established, maintained and reversed. In this study, we examined the effects of donor variability, HIV titre and co-receptor usage on establishing HIV latency in vitro using two models of HIV latency. Using the CCL19 model of HIV latency, we found that in up to 50% of donors, CCL19 enhanced latent inf...

Beta interferon (IFN-beta) exerts pleiotropic antiretroviral activities and affects many different stages of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infectious cycle in IFN-treated cells. To explore whether transfer of genetically engineered human CD4(+) T cells producing constitutively low amounts of IFN-beta can eradicate HIV in vivo, we developed a new Hu-PBL-SCID mouse model supporting a per...

HIV infection leads to numerous immunologic defects, including impaired B cell function. An effective humoral response requires bidirectional interactions between B cells and CD4(+) T cells, critical of which are interactions between CD80/CD86 expressed on activated B cells and CD28 expressed on responder CD4(+) T cells. In the present study, we examined the effect of active HIV replication on ...

HIV is adept at avoiding naturally generated T cell responses; therefore, there is a need to develop HIV-specific T cells with greater potency for use in HIV cure strategies. Starting with a CD4-based chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) that was previously used without toxicity in clinical trials, we optimized the vector backbone, promoter, HIV targeting moiety, and transmembrane and signaling doma...

Background: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and human immunodeficiency (HIV) confection has been reported to impair negatively on the health of patients because it impacts directly outcome HBV infection, considerably complicating its natural history, diagnosis management. This study was aimed at determining incidence distribution HBV/HIV coinfection in area. Methods: The sera people living with HIV/AID...

A successful prophylactic vaccine is characterized by long-lived immunity, which is critically dependent on CD4 T cell-mediated helper signals. Indeed, most licensed vaccines induce antigen-specific CD4 T cell responses, in addition to high-affinity antibodies. However, despite the important role of CD4 T cells in vaccine design and natural infection, few studies have characterized HIV-specific...

BACKGROUND In addition to progressive CD4(+) T cell immune deficiency, HIV infection is characterized by generalized immune activation, thought to arise from increased microbial exposure resulting from diminishing immunity. RESULTS Here we report that, in a virus-free mouse model, conditional ablation of activated CD4(+) T cells, the targets of immunodeficiency viruses, accelerates their turn...

Latently infected resting CD4(+) T cells are a major barrier to HIV cure. Understanding how latency is established, maintained and reversed is critical to identifying novel strategies to eliminate latently infected cells. We demonstrate here that co-culture of resting CD4(+) T cells and syngeneic myeloid dendritic cells (mDC) can dramatically increase the frequency of HIV DNA integration and la...