[Chemokine receptors: their role in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) pathogenicity and resistance to HIV infections].

Chemokines are the chemoattractant cytokines which function briefly in inflammatory processes and also act as regulatory bridge molecules between innate and acquired immunity. Chemokines mediate their effects by binding to cell surface receptors that belong to the seven transmembrane domain superfamily of proteins, which are found mainly on the surface of leucocytes, macrophages and lymphocytes. Besides the functions in the immune system, certain chemokine receptors also function as co-receptors, in addition to CD4 molecule, for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) entry into the target cells. Of these a beta-chemokine receptor CCR5 and an alpha chemokine receptor CXCR4 are the major co-receptors required for macrophage-tropic and T cell-tropic viruses, respectively. Genetic analysis has revealed the importance of chemokine receptor genes in the disease progression, and the identification of genetic polymorphisms such as alterations in the CCR5 gene that prevent surface expression, leads explaining why some people with CCR5 mutation are protected from HIV infection. Today it is accepted that chemokine gene deletion mutations and high production of chemokines are the host factors which take place in the resistance mechanisms of HIV-infected non- or slow-progressors. Depending on these data, recent studies have focused on chemokine receptor inhibitors and/or chemokine antagonists as the new therapeutic strategies that prevent HIV from interacting with receptors and block HIV infection. In this review, latest developments in chemokine receptor researches with a particular focus on their roles in HIV pathogenesis and resistance to HIV infection, have been discussed.