HIV: Not-so-innocent bystanders.

Cox, Andrea L; Siliciano, Robert F · Nature · 2014

editorial · Level V

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Abstract

A new mechanism to explain massive depletion of CD4<sup>+</sup> T cells in HIV-1 infection despite the low frequency of productively infected cells involves innate immune sensing of HIV 1 by abortively infected “bystander” CD4<sup>+</sup> T cells. The result is death of the bystander cells through an inflammatory process known as pyroptosis. These findings may provide long sought explanations for both CD4<sup>+</sup> T cell depletion and HIV-associated inflammation. See Article on page X.

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