HIV

Question 1

Are retroviruses enveloped?

Answer 1

Yes

Question 2

What is the function of GP120?

Answer 2

GP120 binds receptors, CD4 and chemokine coreceptors CCR5/CXCR4.

Question 3

What is the function of GP41?

Answer 3

GP120 is noncovalently connected to gp41, the transmembrane rods here. GP41 is needed for the virus to enter cells.

Question 4

What receptor if not express confers immunity to HIV?

Answer 4

CCR5

Question 5

Where does HIV replicate?

Answer 5

Nucleus

Question 6

What is the function of protease inhibitors in anti-retroviral therapy?

Answer 6

Capsid maturation of HIV

Question 7

Is HIV highly contagious?

Answer 7

No, HIV is not particularly infectious or contagious

Question 8

Is HIV destroyed by soap?

Answer 8

Yes

Question 9

Where is HIV most prominent in the world?

Answer 9

Africa

Question 10

What immune cells does HIV target?

Answer 10

CD4+ T cells

Question 11

What is the normal CD4+ T cell level?

Answer 11

1000 cells per cubic mm

Question 12

What is the course of HIV infection?

Answer 12

• Acute
• Latent
• AIDS

Question 13

What is the acute HIV infection?

Answer 13

• Mononucleosis‐like syndrome
• Fever, fatigue, swollen lymph nodes
• T cell levels will drop but can rebound slightly

Question 14

What is clinical HIV latency?

Answer 14

• Typically lasts 8-12 years following primary infection

- Few manifestations

Question 15

HAART

Answer 15

Highly Active Anti-Retroviral Therapy

Question 16

What is the goal of HAART?

Answer 16

Lower viremia which slows disease progression

Question 17

What are the 2 targets of HAART?

Answer 17

• The RT inhibitors block reverse transcription

- The protease inhibitors prevent virion capsid morphogenesis

Question 18

How is HTLV transmitted?

Answer 18

Sexually

Question 19

What does HTLV cause?

Answer 19

HTLV causes T cell leukemias - encodes Tax which induces cell proliferation

Question 20

A 30‐year old man infected with HIV begins to have difficulty with activities of daily living. He has memory problems and decreased ability to perform functions that require fine motor control, such as writing and painting. His CD4+ lymphocyte count is 150 cells per microliter. Which of the following cell types is most important for disseminating HIV into the central nervous system?

A. Natural killer cell
B. Macrophage
C. Neutrophil
D. CD8+ lymphocyte
E. Langerhans cell

Answer 20

B. Macrophage

Question 21

Where does reverse transcription of HIV occur?

Answer 21

Cytoplasm

Question 22

What does env encode?

Answer 22

Encodes gp120/41

Question 23

What does gag encode?

Answer 23

Encodes group antigens

Question 24

What does pol encode?

Answer 24

Encodes the enzymes in the virion, reverse transcriptase, RNaseH, integrase, protease.