Natural alteration of HIV-1 co-receptor tropism by contemporaneous HIV-2 infection 1

In this study, we show that the pathogenic HIV-1 CXCR4-tropism is more common in HIV-1 single (79%) than in HIV-1 and HIV-2 dual-infected individuals (35%), suggesting that contemporaneous HIV-2 infection can affect HIV-1 co-receptor tropism in late-stage disease. Understanding the underlying mechanisms responsible for this natural alteration by HIV-2 could pave the way towards a deeper understanding of the AIDS pathogenesis.