Abstract

Recent in vitro studies have suggested that autophagy may play a role in both HIV-1 replication and disease progression. In this study we investigated whether autophagy protects the small proportion of HIV-1 infected individuals who remain clinically stable for years in the absence of antiretroviral therapy, these named long-term nonprogressors (LTNP) and elite controllers (EC). We found that peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of the HIV-1 controllers present a significantly higher amount of autophagic vesicles associated with an increased expression of autophagic markers with respect to normal progressors. Of note, ex vivo treatment of PBMC from the HIV-1 controllers with the MTOR inhibitor rapamycin results in a more efficient autophagic response, leading to a reduced viral production. These data lead us to propose that autophagy contributes to limiting viral pathogenesis in HIV-1 controllers by targeting viral components for degradation.

Autore Pugliese

• Fimia Gian Maria

Tutti gli autori

• Nardacci R. , Amendola A. , Ciccosanti F. , Corazzari M. , Esposito V. , Vlassi C. , Taibi C. , Fimia G.M. , Del Nonno F. , Ippolito G. , D'Offizi G. , Piacentini M.

Titolo volume/Rivista

AUTOPHAGY

Anno di pubblicazione

2014

ISSN

1554-8627

ISBN

Non Disponibile

Numero di citazioni Wos

21

Ultimo Aggiornamento Citazioni

25/04/2018

Numero di citazioni Scopus

22

Ultimo Aggiornamento Citazioni

26/04/2018

Settori ERC

Non Disponibile

Codici ASJC

Non Disponibile