HIV Infection of T-Lymphocytes — NEET Biology
✅ Asked in NEET 2023In which blood corpuscles, the HIV undergoes replication and produces progeny viruses? (NEET 2023)
In which blood corpuscles, the HIV undergoes replication and produces progeny viruses? (NEET 2023)
Answer & NCERT explanation
Correct answer: A — TH cells
HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) specifically targets and replicates within T-helper cells (TH cells or CD4+ T cells). These are crucial immune system cells that coordinate the body's defense against pathogens. HIV binds to CD4 receptors on TH cells, enters them, and uses their cellular machinery to replicate, producing progeny viruses. This destroys TH cells, weakening immunity and leading to AIDS. B-lymphocytes, basophils, and eosinophils are not primary targets of HIV replication.
Read more NCERT concept on the PYQ
After getting into the body of the person, the virus enters into macrophages where RNA genome of the virus replicates to form viral DNA with the help of the enzyme reverse transcriptase. This viral DNA gets incorporated into host cell's DNA and directs the infected cells to produce virus particles. The macrophages continue to produce virus and in this way acts like a HIV factory. Simultaneously, HIV enters into helper T-lymphocytes (TH), replicates and produce progeny viruses. The progeny viruses released in the blood attack other helper T-lymphocytes. This is repeated leading to a progressive decrease in the number of helper T-lymphocytes in the body of the infected person. During this period, the person suffers from bouts of fever, diarrhoea and weight loss. Due to decrease in the number of helper T lymphocytes, the person starts suffering from infections that could have been otherwise overcome such as those due to bacteria especially Mycobacterium, viruses, fungi and even parasites like Toxoplasma. The patient becomes so immuno-deficient that he/she is unable to protect himself/herself against these infections. A widely used diagnostic test for AIDS is enzyme linked immuno-sorbent assay (ELISA). Treatment of AIDS with anti-retroviral drugs is only partially effective. They can only prolong the life of the patient but cannot prevent death, which is inevitable.
NTA tests whether students understand that HIV specifically targets and replicates inside helper T-lymphocytes (TH), progressively destroying them and causing immunodeficiency. The common mistake is confusing which immune cells are primarily affected—many students wrongly think HIV directly destroys all white blood cells equally. Remember: HIV preferentially infects TH cells, uses reverse transcriptase to convert its RNA genome into viral DNA, integrates into the host genome, and causes the infected cells to produce progeny viruses that attack more TH cells. This progressive depletion of helper T-lymphocytes is the KEY reason why AIDS patients become vulnerable to opportunistic infections from bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites they normally could fight off.
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