The research, which comes from Brigham Young University and Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, has shown a reservoir of human cells, called folicular dendritic cells, that allows HIV to remain in an infectious state and not respond to antiretroviral drugs.
The existance of such a reservoir has long been suspected and macrophages and CD4+ T-cells infected with a latent form of HIV are known to act in this way. Follicular dendritic cells are now the third reservoir identified. These cells store the material that is needed to maintain antibodies in the immune system and release proteins that trigger the production of certain antibodies if their levels drop. The follicular dendritic cells are found in the lymph nodes and trap HIV. This trapped HIV does not replicate or mutate, allowing it to avoid the action of antiretrovirals.
The discovery paves the way for the development of new drugs that can specifically target the HIV on the follicular dendritic cells.
