Abstract
Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and type 2 (HIV-2) are the causative agents of Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS). Without therapeutic intervention, HIV-1 or HIV-2 infections in humans are characterized by a gradual and irreversible immunologic failure that ultimately leads to the onset of a severe immunodeficiency that constitutes the hallmark of AIDS. In the last two decades AIDS has evolved into a global epidemic affecting millions of persons worldwide. Although sharing several identical properties, HIV-1 and HIV-2 have shown some important differences in vivo. In fact, a significant amount of epidemiologic, clinical and virologic data suggest that HIV-2 is in general less virulent than HIV-1. This reduced virulence is revealed by the longer asymptomatic period and the smaller transmission rate that characteristically are observed in HIV-2 infection. In this context, studies using HIV-2 as a model of a naturally less pathogenic infection could bring important new insights to HIV pathogenesis opening to new strategies to vaccines or therapeutic design. The reasons underlying the reduced pathogenicity of HIV-2 are still essentially unknown and surely are the outcome of a combination of distinct factors. In this review we will discuss the importance and the possible implications in HIV-2 pathogenesis, particularly during the asymptomatic period, of a less fitted interaction between viral envelope glycoproteins and cellular receptors that have been described in the way HIV-2 and HIV-1 use these receptors.
Keywords: hiv-2 infection, coreceptor usage, pathogenesis, hiv-2 - cell interactions, viral fitness
Current HIV Research
Title: HIV-2 Infection and Chemokine Receptors Usage - Clues to Reduced Virulence of HIV-2
Volume: 3 Issue: 1
Author(s): Jose Miguel Azevedo-Pereira, Quirina Santos-Costa and Jose Moniz-Pereira
Affiliation:
Keywords: hiv-2 infection, coreceptor usage, pathogenesis, hiv-2 - cell interactions, viral fitness
Abstract: Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and type 2 (HIV-2) are the causative agents of Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS). Without therapeutic intervention, HIV-1 or HIV-2 infections in humans are characterized by a gradual and irreversible immunologic failure that ultimately leads to the onset of a severe immunodeficiency that constitutes the hallmark of AIDS. In the last two decades AIDS has evolved into a global epidemic affecting millions of persons worldwide. Although sharing several identical properties, HIV-1 and HIV-2 have shown some important differences in vivo. In fact, a significant amount of epidemiologic, clinical and virologic data suggest that HIV-2 is in general less virulent than HIV-1. This reduced virulence is revealed by the longer asymptomatic period and the smaller transmission rate that characteristically are observed in HIV-2 infection. In this context, studies using HIV-2 as a model of a naturally less pathogenic infection could bring important new insights to HIV pathogenesis opening to new strategies to vaccines or therapeutic design. The reasons underlying the reduced pathogenicity of HIV-2 are still essentially unknown and surely are the outcome of a combination of distinct factors. In this review we will discuss the importance and the possible implications in HIV-2 pathogenesis, particularly during the asymptomatic period, of a less fitted interaction between viral envelope glycoproteins and cellular receptors that have been described in the way HIV-2 and HIV-1 use these receptors.
Export Options
About this article
Cite this article as:
Azevedo-Pereira Miguel Jose, Santos-Costa Quirina and Moniz-Pereira Jose, HIV-2 Infection and Chemokine Receptors Usage - Clues to Reduced Virulence of HIV-2, Current HIV Research 2005; 3 (1) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1570162052773004
DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1570162052773004 |
Print ISSN 1570-162X |
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher |
Online ISSN 1873-4251 |
![](/images/wayfinder.jpg)
- Author Guidelines
- Bentham Author Support Services (BASS)
- Graphical Abstracts
- Fabricating and Stating False Information
- Research Misconduct
- Post Publication Discussions and Corrections
- Publishing Ethics and Rectitude
- Increase Visibility of Your Article
- Archiving Policies
- Peer Review Workflow
- Order Your Article Before Print
- Promote Your Article
- Manuscript Transfer Facility
- Editorial Policies
- Allegations from Whistleblowers
Related Articles
-
Anti-Angiogenic Peptides for Cancer Therapeutics
Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology Medical Treatment of Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors: State of the Art and Future Perspectives
Reviews on Recent Clinical Trials Development of a Non Invasive NGF-Based Therapy for Alzheimers Disease
Current Alzheimer Research DLEU2: A Meaningful Long Noncoding RNA in Oncogenesis
Current Pharmaceutical Design How is Gene Transfection Able to Improve Current Chemotherapy? The Role of Combined Therapy in Cancer Treatment
Current Medicinal Chemistry Natural Products as Anticancer Agents
Current Drug Targets Recurrent Left Atrial Low-grade Malignant Inflammatory Myofibroblastic Tumor Characterized by Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance
Current Medical Imaging The PKB/AKT Pathway in Cancer
Current Pharmaceutical Design An Analysis of Structure-function Co-relation between GLI Oncoprotein and HLA Immune-gene Transcriptional Regulation through Molecular Docking
Current Cancer Therapy Reviews Medium-term Culture of Normal Human Oral Mucosa: A Novel Three-dimensional Model to Study the Effectiveness of Drugs Administration
Current Pharmaceutical Design The Role of Amitriptyline in the Management of Non-small Cell Lung Cancer
Current Cancer Therapy Reviews HIV-Infected Patients and Liver Transplantation: Who, When and Why
Current HIV Research Cancer Pharmacogenomics: Germline DNA, Tumor DNA, or Both?
Current Pharmacogenomics The Roles of the Unique Prolyl Isomerase Pin1 in Cancer-Related Viral and Bacterial Infections
Current Molecular Medicine The Wnt Pathway: Emerging Anticancer Strategies
Recent Patents on Endocrine, Metabolic & Immune Drug Discovery (Discontinued) Modulating Mitochondria-Mediated Apoptotic Cell Death through Targeting of Bcl-2 Family Proteins
Recent Patents on DNA & Gene Sequences Treatment of Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck in the Metastatic and Refractory Settings: Advances in Chemotherapy and the Emergence of Small Molecule Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Kinase Inhibitors
Current Cancer Drug Targets Natural Endoperoxides as Drug Lead Compounds
Current Medicinal Chemistry Immunotherapy in Breast Cancer- Paving New Roads?
Current Molecular Pharmacology Anti-Angiogenetic Agents from the Sea: A New Potential Preventive and Therapeutic Wave?
Anti-Cancer Agents in Medicinal Chemistry