Early events of HIV-1 infection: can signaling be the next therapeutic target?

J Neuroimmune Pharmacol. 2011 Jun;6(2):269-83. doi: 10.1007/s11481-011-9268-5. Epub 2011 Mar 5.

Abstract

Intracellular signaling events are signposts of biological processes, which govern the direction and action of biological activities. Through millions of years of evolution, pathogens, such as viruses, have evolved to hijack host cell machinery to infect their targets and are therefore dependent on host cell signaling for replication. This review will detail our current understanding of the signaling events that are important for the early steps of HIV-1 replication. More specifically, the therapeutic potential of signaling events associated with chemokine coreceptors, virus entry, viral synapses, and post-entry processes will be discussed. We argue that these pathways may represent novel targets for antiviral therapy.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anti-HIV Agents / administration & dosage*
  • Gene Targeting / methods*
  • HIV Infections / drug therapy*
  • HIV Infections / genetics
  • HIV Infections / metabolism*
  • HIV-1 / drug effects
  • HIV-1 / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects
  • Signal Transduction / genetics*
  • Time Factors
  • Virus Internalization / drug effects
  • Virus Replication / drug effects
  • Virus Replication / genetics
  • Virus Replication / physiology

Substances

  • Anti-HIV Agents