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Background
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HIV-1 Nef is a 27?kDa protein abundantly produced shortly after virus infection. Nef is an essential factor for efficient viral replication and pathogenesis, it also facilitates virus replication and enhances virions infectivity. Nef exerts pleiotropic effects: down-modulates surface MHC-I molecules, decreases cell surface CD4 antigen by interacting with the Src family kinase LCK, protects the infected cell from apoptosis in order to keep it alive until the next virus generation is ready to strike. Nef protein bypasses host T-cell signaling by inducing a trascriptional program nearly identical to that of anti-CD3 cell activation.
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