8 August 2002

HIV: AIDS virus on the attack

The AIDS virus, HIV-1, produces Vif (virion infectivity factor) protein during the late stages of infection. Vif seems to inhibit an innate antiviral activity expressed in human T lymphocytes. Sheehy et al. have now identified a human gene, CEM15, as the cellular target of Vif. Molecules that render the T-cell enzyme 'Vif-proof', or interfere with Vif's inhibitory function, could make ideal
candidates for new anti-HIV drugs. On the cover, immunofluorescent staining of an
HIV-1-infected human macrophage with Vif in green.

Isolation of a human gene that inhibits HIV-1 infection and is suppressed by the viral Vif protein
ANN M. SHEEHY, NATHAN C. GADDIS, JONATHAN D. CHOI & MICHAEL H. MALIM
Nature 418, 646–650 (2002); doi:10.1038/nature00939
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HIV: A tough viral nut to crack
ROGER J. POMERANTZ
HIV cannot multiply in certain human cells unless it expresses a protein called Vif, the function of which has finally been revealed. It seems that it overcomes a human protein that would otherwise block viral replication.
Nature 418, 594–595 (2002); doi:10.1038/418594a
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