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Defeating T-cell fatigue in HIV

Nature Medicine volume 12, pages 1124–1125 (2006)Cite this article

HIV causes a chronic infection that overwhelms the immune system and leads to T-cell exhaustion. Three groups now report that a signaling molecule that dampens immune responses may tucker out the T cells (1198–1202).

Pathogens such as HIV that establish chronic infections are experts at evading and subduing the immune system. HIV begins this task early in infection, provoking a rapid loss of CD4+ T cells from mucosal areas such as the gut1. As the infection persists, CD4+ T cells continue to die, virus levels increase and CD8+ T cells eventually run out of steam. These 'exhausted' CD8+ T cells have a diminished ability to produce cytokines and kill infected cells. The end result is a crippled immune system that can neither control the virus nor prevent infection from opportunistic pathogens.

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Figure 1: Persistent PD-1 expression overpowers T cells.

Kim Caesar

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  1. Alison Farrell is a Senior Editor at Nature Medicine.

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  1. Alison Farrell
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Farrell, A. Defeating T-cell fatigue in HIV. Nat Med 12, 1124–1125 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/nm1006-1124

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nm1006-1124

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