The study, published in the journal Nature Immunology, found that HIV-infected T cells can use nanotubes to transfer viral particles to uninfected T cells, thereby spreading the infection. This mechanism could explain how HIV is able to evade the immune system and establish a persistent infection.
"Our findings suggest that T-cell nanotubes may be an important pathway for HIV transmission and could contribute to the establishment of viral reservoirs that are difficult to treat," said Dr. Michael Dustin, professor of cell biology at NYU Langone Health and senior author of the study.
The immune system uses T cells to recognize and attack foreign invaders, such as viruses and bacteria. T cells are also essential for controlling HIV infection. However, HIV has evolved a number of ways to evade the immune system, including the ability to infect T cells and use them to spread the infection to other cells.
In the new study, Dr. Dustin and his colleagues used a variety of techniques, including live-cell imaging and electron microscopy, to study how HIV-infected T cells interact with uninfected T cells. They found that HIV-infected T cells can form nanotubes with uninfected T cells and that these nanotubes can be used to transfer viral particles.
The researchers also found that the formation of T-cell nanotubes is dependent on the presence of a protein called CD38. CD38 is expressed on the surface of T cells and is involved in a variety of immune functions. The researchers found that blocking CD38 with an antibody inhibited the formation of T-cell nanotubes and reduced the spread of HIV infection.
"These findings suggest that CD38 may be a potential target for new therapies to prevent or treat HIV infection," said Dr. Dustin. "By blocking CD38, we may be able to inhibit the formation of T-cell nanotubes and prevent the spread of HIV to uninfected cells."
The researchers are now conducting further studies to investigate the role of T-cell nanotubes in HIV infection and to develop new therapies to target this pathway.
