Biomarkers for Targeting the HIV-1 Reservoirs

Human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) is a causative agent of acquiredimmunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Although highly active antiretroviral therapy(HAART) efficiently suppresses viral replication and increases the lifespan ofpatients, it does not completely eliminate the latently HIV-1 infected cells from apatient’s body. The greatest obstacle to finding an HIV-1 cure is posed by latentlyinfected cells, otherwise referred to as “latent viral reservoirs”. Therefore,understanding the characteristics of HIV-1 reservoirs has become a top priority inthe field of HIV-1 cure research, but defining the HIV-1 reservoirs is currentlylimited due to a lack of definite markers for probing the latent reservoir cells inwhich HIV-1 hides. If an assured marker for the latent reservoir cells is discovered, itwill mark considerable progress in the process of understanding the characteristicsand functions of HIV-1 reservoirs, and will make possible a sterilization cure byeliminating the reservoirs. In this paper, we review several cell surface molecules,including immune checkpoint molecules (PD1, TIGIT and LAG-3), CD30, CD2,CD20, CD32a, and CD127 suggested which have been as possible markers forprobing HIV-1 reservoirs. KCI Citation Count: 0