Wu Yuntao
Department of Molecular and Microbiology, George Mason University, Manassas, VA 20110, USA.
Retrovirology. 2009 May 1;6:41. doi: 10.1186/1742-4690-6-41.
HIV-mediated CD4 depletion is the hallmark of AIDS and is the most reliable predictor of disease progression. While HIV replication is associated with CD4 depletion in general, plasma viremia by itself predicts the rate of CD4 loss only minimally in untreated patients. To resolve this paradox, I hypothesize the existence of a subpopulation of R5X4-signaling viruses. I also suggest that the gradual evolution and emergence of this subpopulation are largely responsible for the slow depletion of peripheral CD4 T cells.
HIV介导的CD4细胞耗竭是艾滋病的标志，也是疾病进展最可靠的预测指标。虽然HIV复制总体上与CD4细胞耗竭有关，但在未经治疗的患者中，血浆病毒血症本身对CD4细胞丢失率的预测作用极小。为了解决这一矛盾，我推测存在一个R5X4信号病毒亚群。我还认为，该亚群的逐渐演变和出现很大程度上导致了外周CD4 T细胞的缓慢耗竭。
