ABSTRACT
The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is one of the most important problems in public health. It is estimated that 3 3 million people are infected around the world. HIV and GBV-C share the same transmission route, being frequent the co-infection. Since both viruses replicate in CD4+ lymphocytes, recent studies have described an interaction. Decreasing of HIV viral load and higher CD4 counts have been observed in co-infected patients, leading a better clinical outcome. Nevertheless, some epidemiological studies have shown contradictory results. Additionally, in vitro models report inhibition of HIV by E1, E2, NS3 and NS5A GBV-C proteins, resulting in a decreasing of p24 antigen. This review summarizes the principal findings about co-infection and mechanisms that have been proposed for HIV-1 inhibition.
La infección por el virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana (VIH) continúa siendo uno de los principales problemas en salud pública; se estima que existen actualmente más de 33 millones de personas infectadas en el mundo. El VIH y el virus GB tipo C (GBV-C) comparten la misma vía de transmisión, por lo que es frecuente encontrar individuos co-infectados. Estudios recientes han descrito un efecto inhibitorio asociado a disminución en la carga viral de VIH, altos recuentos de CD4 y mayor tiempo de sobrevida en pacientes co-infectados, resultando en un mejor pronóstico y menor progreso a SIDA; adicionalmente, estudios in vitro indican que las proteínas virales E1, E2, NS3 y NS5A del GBV-C estarían implicadas en la inhibición del VIH-1. En el presente artículo se revisan los principales aspectos de la co-infección, y se describen los mecanismos propuestos para la inhibición de la replicación del VIH-1 mediada por las proteínas virales del GBV-C.
Subject(s)
Humans , Coinfection/virology , Flaviviridae Infections/virology , GB virus C/physiology , HIV Infections/virology , HIV-1 , Hepatitis, Viral, Human/virology , Viral Interference/physiology , Disease Progression , Flaviviridae Infections/complications , Flaviviridae Infections/immunology , GB virus C/immunology , HIV Infections/complications , HIV Infections/immunology , HIV-1 , Hepatitis, Viral, Human/complications , Hepatitis, Viral, Human/immunology , Virus Replication , Viral Load/immunology , Viral Proteins/immunology , Viral Proteins/physiologyABSTRACT
An interesting interaction pattern has been found between HIV-1 and GBV-C/HGV, resulting in protection against progression to AIDS. The mechanisms involved in this interaction remain to be clarified. We examined the current knowledge concerning this coinfection and developed hypotheses to explain its effects. A better understanding of this interaction could result in new concepts, which may lead to new strategies to control HIV-1 replication and progression to AIDS.