4 ms·

I don't know much about it, but, from my understanding, HIV is a "retrovirus", which means that it integrates into host cell's DNA: https://en.wikipedia.org/wik

I don't know much about it, but, from my understanding, HIV is a "retrovirus", which means that it integrates into host cell's DNA: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retrovirus https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retrovirus I'd really appreciate some input from someone who knows more on this topic.

tjohns 6y ago
Yes, that's correct. After entering a CD4+ cell, HIV uses reverse transcriptase to copy it's RNA into DNA, enters the cell's nucleus, then uses integrase to splice that DNA into the host cell's genome. From that point on the host cell is permanently infected. This is one of the few exceptions to the "central dogma of molecular biology", which otherwise says information can't flow back into the nucleus. The reverse transcription process is notoriously error prone, which is the reason why HIV is able to mutate so easily and develop resistance to antiviral drugs. Most cells will go on to immediately begin building new HIV copies; these cells will quickly die out. A small number will go back to a resting state, only to reactivate months or years later. This "latent reservoir" of dormant cells means that even if you eradicate all the viremia from a patient, the infection will come back. This is why we can't cure HIV. There is a very small window after infection before the virus has had a chance to establish a latent resevior where it can be successfully eradicated. This is how prophylactic drugs as part of PEP can work - if given quickly enough. There's a really good animation someone posted here a few days ago that illustrates the mechanics: https://vimeo.com/260291607 https://vimeo.com/260291607
david38 6y ago
Ah... no. It’s special because it attacks white blood cells and white blood cells are what are supposed to attack it.
Gibbon1 6y ago
That HIV can and does do that is consistent with what I've read. Some percentage of cells HIV can lay dormant for an indefinint amount of time.

tjohns 6y ago

Yes, that's correct. After entering a CD4+ cell, HIV uses reverse transcriptase to copy it's RNA into DNA, enters the cell's nucleus, then uses integrase to splice that DNA into the host cell's genome. From that point on the host cell is permanently infected. This is one of the few exceptions to the "central dogma of molecular biology", which otherwise says information can't flow back into the nucleus. The reverse transcription process is notoriously error prone, which is the reason why HIV is able to mutate so easily and develop resistance to antiviral drugs. Most cells will go on to immediately begin building new HIV copies; these cells will quickly die out. A small number will go back to a resting state, only to reactivate months or years later. This "latent reservoir" of dormant cells means that even if you eradicate all the viremia from a patient, the infection will come back. This is why we can't cure HIV. There is a very small window after infection before the virus has had a chance to establish a latent resevior where it can be successfully eradicated. This is how prophylactic drugs as part of PEP can work - if given quickly enough. There's a really good animation someone posted here a few days ago that illustrates the mechanics: https://vimeo.com/260291607 https://vimeo.com/260291607

david38 6y ago

Ah... no. It’s special because it attacks white blood cells and white blood cells are what are supposed to attack it.

Gibbon1 6y ago

That HIV can and does do that is consistent with what I've read. Some percentage of cells HIV can lay dormant for an indefinint amount of time.