How HIV-1 Takes Advantage of the Cytoskeleton during Replication and Cell-to-Cell Transmission
2011

How HIV-1 Uses the Cytoskeleton to Spread

publication Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Lehmann Martin, Nikolic Damjan S., Piguet Vincent

Primary Institution: Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, University Hospital and Medical School of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland

Hypothesis

How does HIV-1 manipulate the cytoskeleton during its replication and transmission between cells?

Conclusion

HIV-1 exploits the cytoskeleton to enhance its entry, replication, and transmission between immune cells.

Supporting Evidence

  • HIV-1 can manipulate the cytoskeleton to facilitate its entry into immune cells.
  • Virological synapses formed between infected and uninfected cells enhance the efficiency of HIV-1 transmission.
  • HIV-1 uses actin and microtubules for intracellular transport and cell-to-cell transfer.

Takeaway

HIV-1 is like a sneaky virus that uses the cell's internal structure, called the cytoskeleton, to move around and spread from one cell to another.

Methodology

The study reviews various imaging approaches, pharmacological and genetic targeting of cytoskeleton modulators, and primary cell culture models.

Limitations

The role of endocytosis in productive infection should be confirmed by genetic strategies, and the mechanisms of actin remodeling at the virological synapse need further investigation.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.3390/v3091757

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