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Which immune cells does HIV target?

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AIDS Scanning electron micrograph of HIV-1 virions (green) budding from a cultured lymphocyte. Multiple round bumps on the cell surface represent sites of virion assembly and budding.

The primary target of HIV is a specific class of white blood cells known as helper T lymphocytes, or helper T cells.1

These cells are also referred to as CD4+ T cells because they express a protein called CD4 on their surface. HIV infects these cells by binding its envelope protein, gp120, to the CD4 molecule. This process also requires the participation of coreceptors, specifically the chemokine receptors CCR5 and CXCR4, which work in tandem with CD4 to allow the virus to enter the cell.12

Helper T cells are critical to the immune system because they produce factors that activate other immune cells, including B cells, cytotoxic T lymphocytes, and macrophages. The progression of AIDS is characterized by the loss of these helper T cells, which impairs the body's ability to mount an effective immune response.12