Drug abuse and neuropathogenesis of HIV infection: role of DC-SIGN and IDO.

Dendritic cells are the critical mediators of various immune responses and are the first line of defense against any infection including HIV. They play a major role in harboring HIV and the subsequent infection of T cells and passage of virus through the blood-brain barrier (BBB). The recently discovered DC-specific, CD4-independent HIV attachment receptor, DC-SIGN, and T-cell suppressing factor, indolamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO), are known to play a critical role in the immuno-neuropathogenesis of HIV infection.