@article {Herbein:December 2002:1566-5240:723, author = "Herbein G.", author = "Coaquette A.", author = "Perez-Bercoff D.", author = "Pancino G.", title = "Macrophage Activation and HIV Infection: Can the Trojan Horse Turn into a Fortress?", journal = "Current Molecular Medicine", volume = "2", year = "December 2002", abstract = "

Macrophages are infected early during HIV infection and are thought to play the role of a Trojan horse by spreading infection in tissues. Most recent studies point out to a more complex role for macrophages in HIV infection: macrophages could contribute to both host defense and viral persistence and pathogenesis. Infected macrophages are a reservoir for HIV and modulate apoptosis of T cells present in their vicinity. Also, a functional impairment of HIV-infected macrophages may play a role in AIDS pathogenesis. Nevertheless, both activation and differentiation of monocyte / macrophages can interfere with susceptibility of these cells to infection. Therefore, a wide variety of stimuli result in HIV suppression through macrophage activation. At present times, a dynamic view on the role of macrophages in HIV infection arises which indicates that macrophages are a target for the virus and at the same time regulate its replication. Therefore, macrophages are at the cross-road between protection and pathogenesis in HIV infection due to their involvement both as a viral target and a key modulator of non-specific and specific immune responses. Future studies will help unravel the cellular and molecular mechanisms that underlie HIV-macrophage interactions and might result in new vaccine and / or therapeutic strategies.

", pages = "723-738(16)", url = "http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/ben/cmm/2002/00000002/00000008/art00006" doi = "doi:10.2174/1566524023361844" }