Cellular AATF gene: armour against HIV-1.

Outcome of HIV-1 infection at the cellular level is decided by the orchestrated balance that exists between cellular nucleic acid-based adaptive immune mechanism involving non-coding micro RNAs (miRNAs) and offensive tactics of HIV-1 to suppress this host cellular immunity. In this context, the review explains the importance of a novel miRNA encoded exclusively and conspicuously by HIV-1 genome that has the ability to specifically target cellular AATF gene recognized to play a crucial role in the maintenance of adaptive immunity at nucleic acid level against HIV-1 invasion.