HIV Host Response

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the retrovirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), infects and destroys CD4+ cells. As a result, the viral infection severely limits host immune responses, causing infected patients to succumb to opportunistic infections by other organisms. The immune system rarely succeeds in eliminating HIV; therefore, patients must undergo medical treatment to control the infection. However, the virus’ high mutation rate further complicates treatment and eradication due to the rapid development of drug resistance. Since its discovery in 1981, HIV has become a focus of intense research that has identified key host genes involved in viral replication and immune system evasion. Many of these novel genes involved in the viral life cycle were used as drug targets, some of which are on the market today. On the other hand, some populations have decreased infection rates, highlighting the need to further study host biology as well. Genotyping of these populations has identified novel mutations that correlate with infection rate, such as mutations within the CCL5 promoter.

QIAGEN provides a broad range of assay technologies for HIV host response research that enables analysis of gene expression and regulation, epigenetic modification, genotyping, and signal transduction pathway activation. Solutions optimized for HIV host response studies include PCR array, miRNA, siRNA, mutation analysis, pathway reporter, chromatin IP, DNA methylation, and protein expression products.