Which one of the following statements about infection with HIV and the immune system is correct?

Question

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

Let’s break down what the question asks and examine each statement in turn.
Question restatement: Which statement about HIV infection and the immune system is correct?
Options:
a. HIV infects mast cells and hence the inflammatory response cannot be activated.

b. HIV infects T-helper cells and therfore the humoral and cell-mediated immune responses cannot be fully activated

c. HIV infects skin cells and hence the inflammatory response cannot be activated.

d. HIV infects only T-cytotoxic cells and hence the humoral immune response cannot be fully activated

Analysis of each option:
Option a: HIV infecting mast cells is not the known primary mechanism of immune dysfunction in HIV infection. Mast cells are involved in allergic and inflammatory responses, but HIV’s hallmark effect is not on mast cells. This option misidentifies the key target of HIV and overstates the influence on the inflammatory response.

Option b: This statement correctly identifies the principal cellular target of HIV: CD4+ T helper cells. When these cells are infected and depleted, both branches of adaptive immunity are compromised. Humoral immunity (B cell activation and antibody production) and cell-mediated immunity (cytotoxic T cell responses) rely on helper T cells for activation and orchestration. Therefore, this option accurately reflects the immunological consequence of HIV infection.

Option c: Infecting skin cells is not the central or characteristic action of HIV that explains immune suppression. While skin can be involved in opportunistic infections or lesions, HIV’s core mechanism is not direct infection of skin cells to shut down inflammation. This makes the option incorrect.

Option d: HIV does not exclusively infect cytotoxic T cells. HIV primarily targets CD4+ T helper cells, and this broad impairment includes facilitating dysfunction in cytotoxic T cells indirectly. Claiming it infects only T-cytotoxic cells misrepresents the virus’s tropism and its impact on humoral immunity as well. This makes the statement inaccurate.

Putting it together, the correct conceptual point is that HIV targets CD4+ T helper cells, leading to reduced activation and coordination of both humoral and cell-mediated immune responses. The incorrect options either identify the wrong primary target (mast cells or skin cells), misstate the scope (only cytotoxic T cells), or mischaracterize the immune consequences.

MUF0031 Biology Unit 1 - Semester 1, 2025

Which one of the following statements about infection with HIV and the immune system is correct?

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