Cells use an elaborate innate immune surveillance and defense system against virus infections. Here, we discuss recent studies that reveal how HIV-1 is sensed by the innate immune system. Furthermore,… Click to show full abstract
Cells use an elaborate innate immune surveillance and defense system against virus infections. Here, we discuss recent studies that reveal how HIV-1 is sensed by the innate immune system. Furthermore, we present mechanisms on the counteraction of HIV-1. We will provide an overview how HIV-1 actively utilizes host cellular factors to avoid sensing. Additionally, we will summarize effectors of the innate response that provide an antiviral cellular state. HIV-1 has evolved passive mechanism to avoid restriction and to regulate the innate response. We review in detail two prominent examples of these cellular factors: (i) NLRX1, a negative regulator of the innate response that HIV-1 actively usurps to block cytosolic innate sensing; (ii) SAMHD1, a restriction factor blocking the virus at the reverse transcription step that HIV-1 passively avoids to escape sensing.
               
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