Variations of dendritic cell-specific intercellualar adhesion molecule-3-grabing nonintegrin neck region in HIV infected individuals

Dendritic cells （DCs） play a critical role in initiating the immune response by virtue of their ability tocapture and present antigens to T ceils.^1 Although the precise mechanism by which DCs acquire human immunodeficiency virus （HIV-1） is not completely understood, migration of DCs from the periphery to the draining lymph nodes may enable CD4^＋ T cells to become infected.^2 DC-specific intercellular adhesion molecule 3 grabbing nonintegrin （DC-SIGN, CD209）, a mannose specific C-type lectin receptor on DCs, plays a vital role in this process by binding HIV-gp120 and helping DCs transport HIV from the infection site to the secondary lymph nodes.^3 DC-SIGN related lectin （DC-SIGNR, or L-SIGN, CD209R） shares 77% amino acid identity with DC-SIGN, and is expressed on endothelial cells in the liver, lymph nodes and placental capillaries.^4 Both DC-SIGN and DC-SIGNR are HIV receptors .5