A Physical Theory of the Competition that Allows HIV to Escape from the Immune System
arXiv:q-bio/0610018 · doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.97.188106
Abstract
Competition within the immune system may degrade immune control of viral infections. We formalize the evolution that occurs in both HIV-1 and the immune system quasispecies. Inclusion of competition in the immune system leads to a novel balance between the immune response and HIV-1, in which the eventual outcome is HIV-1 escape rather than control. The analytical model reproduces the three stages of HIV-1 infection. We propose a vaccine regimen that may be able to reduce competition between T cells, potentially eliminating the third stage of HIV-1.
5 pages, 2 figures, to appear in Phys. Rev. Lett