HIV-1 Pathogenesis: The Complexities of the CCR5-CCL3L1 Complex

The chemokine receptor CCR5 is the most important entry coreceptor for HIV-1 in vivo. Its chemokine ligands, including CCL3L1, efficiently inhibit infection by receptor blockade and downmodulation. However, in Nature Immunology, Dolan et al. (2007) present a large human-cohorts study that identifies entry-independent, CCR5-CCL3L1-dependent effects on cell-mediated immunity as a strong correlate of pathogenesis and point to additional influences of the CCR5-CCL3L1 axis on disease progression through undefined mechanisms