Friend or Foe: Innate Sensing of HIV in the Female Reproductive Tract.

ABSTRACT: The female reproductive tract (FRT) is a major site for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. There currently exists a poor understanding of how the innate immune system is activated upon HIV transmission and how this activation may affect systemic spread of HIV from the FRT. However, multiple mechanisms for how HIV is sensed have been deciphered using model systems with cell lines and peripheral blood-derived cells. The aim of this review is to summarize recent progress in the field of HIV innate immune sensing and place this in the context of the FRT. Because HIV is somewhat unique as an STD that thrives under inflammatory conditions, the response of cells upon sensing HIV gene products can either promote or limit HIV infection depending on the context. Future studies should incl

SUBMITTER: Roan NR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5408509 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature