Figure 2.

Dual role of HMGB1 in HIV latency. HMGB1 protein not only helps maintain viral latency in epithelial cells and dendritic cells, but also helps reverse HIV latency in U-1 monocytes. This reversal is associated with TLR interaction with bacteria-derived molecules (flagellin, LPS, and CpG oligos) that play a major role in HMGB1-associated reversal, suggesting the importance of foreign (bacterial) components in HIV reversal. However, as an indication of a dual role of HMGB1 protein family, latency is maintained and its reversion is prevented through the inhibition of HIV-1 LTR-mediated transcription and hacking the natural killer (NK) cells and dendritic cell (DC) crosstalk in latent epithelial cells and dendritic cells, respectively.