- Friday, February 10, 2023
- 2:30 PM–2:30 PM
- SB 010
Professor Anding Shen of Calvin University presents her research on how Endothelial Cells help HIV infect and hide in T Cells.
HIV infection has killed 40 million people worldwide and currently, 40 million people are living with HIV infection. In most patients with HIV infection, antiretroviral therapy (ART) successfully suppresses viral loads and restores T cell (immune cells) numbers. However, HIV cannot be cured. Lifelong therapy is required to maintain viral suppression, primarily due to a major latent reservoir in resting T cells. We found that endothelial cells, which make up blood and lymphatic vessels and physiologically interact readily with T cells in the lymphoid tissues in vivo, promote both productive and latent HIV infection in resting CD4+ T cells. Our research findings improve the understanding of HIV infection and persistence and contribute to potential innovative interventions in treating HIV diseases.
