While the overall landscape of HIV infection has changed since the implementation of anti-retroviral therapy (ART), the effects of HIV infection, including a range of metabolic, immunologic, and neurologic co-morbidities remain significant and HIV continues to cause a global pandemic. Increasing evidence suggests that innate immune cell responses play a crucial role in HIV pathogenesis, disease progression, and the development of strategies for a HIV cure.
The interplay between early innate immune cells and HIV is a critical process that determines the development of the adaptive immune response and eventually the outcome of HIV infection. Innate cells such as Natural Killer (NK) cells, monocytes, macrophages, and Dendritic Cells (DC), can kill virus-infected cells without the requirement of previous exposure to the pathogen. Interestingly, recent studies have uncovered the memory-like responses in innate immune cells. Moreover, NK cells and these innate cells modulate adaptive immune cells to produce different important cytokines which stimulate the antiviral adaptive immune responses.
The aim of this Research Topic is to explore the role of key players in early innate immunity (NK monocytes, macrophages, and Dendritic Cells (DC)) and their importance in HIV pathogenesis, disease progression, and HIV treatment and cure research. We welcome research on but not limited to the following sub-themes:
• Role of innate immunity (NK/monocytes/DC) in HIV pathogenesis, especially persistent immune activation and co-mobilities in chronic HIV infection under ART treatment, and mechanisms of HIV persistence and novel HIV cure concepts & strategies.
• Understanding the role of the innate immune response (NK/monocytes/DC) in the control of HIV viral transmission, systemic infection, and potentially latency.
• Harnessing knowledge of the innate response (NK/monocytes/DC) to develop novel vaccines, vaccine adjuvants, as well as therapeutic approaches to the prevention of treatment of HIV infection.
While the overall landscape of HIV infection has changed since the implementation of anti-retroviral therapy (ART), the effects of HIV infection, including a range of metabolic, immunologic, and neurologic co-morbidities remain significant and HIV continues to cause a global pandemic. Increasing evidence suggests that innate immune cell responses play a crucial role in HIV pathogenesis, disease progression, and the development of strategies for a HIV cure.
The interplay between early innate immune cells and HIV is a critical process that determines the development of the adaptive immune response and eventually the outcome of HIV infection. Innate cells such as Natural Killer (NK) cells, monocytes, macrophages, and Dendritic Cells (DC), can kill virus-infected cells without the requirement of previous exposure to the pathogen. Interestingly, recent studies have uncovered the memory-like responses in innate immune cells. Moreover, NK cells and these innate cells modulate adaptive immune cells to produce different important cytokines which stimulate the antiviral adaptive immune responses.
The aim of this Research Topic is to explore the role of key players in early innate immunity (NK monocytes, macrophages, and Dendritic Cells (DC)) and their importance in HIV pathogenesis, disease progression, and HIV treatment and cure research. We welcome research on but not limited to the following sub-themes:
• Role of innate immunity (NK/monocytes/DC) in HIV pathogenesis, especially persistent immune activation and co-mobilities in chronic HIV infection under ART treatment, and mechanisms of HIV persistence and novel HIV cure concepts & strategies.
• Understanding the role of the innate immune response (NK/monocytes/DC) in the control of HIV viral transmission, systemic infection, and potentially latency.
• Harnessing knowledge of the innate response (NK/monocytes/DC) to develop novel vaccines, vaccine adjuvants, as well as therapeutic approaches to the prevention of treatment of HIV infection.