HIV-1-induced depletion of CD4 + T cells in the gut: mechanism and therapeutic implications

The mechanism of CD4 + T-cell depletion remains a central unresolved issue in AIDS research. Recent studies have examined the massive depletion of CD4 + T cells observed in macaque models of acute HIV infection. A key question is whether the observed CD4 + T-cell death is due to direct consequences of viral infection and to indirect mechanisms including increased expression of mediators of T-cell apoptosis. The therapeutic implications of the early CD4 + T-cell loss are discussed.