Tunneling nanotubes (TNT)

Abstract

Cell-to-cell communication coordinates the development of multicellular systems, and is mediated by soluble factors, gap junctions and the recently described tunneling nanotubes (TNT).  Both TNT and gap junctions facilitate the transfer of intracellular mediators between the cytoplasm of connected cells. We recently described that HIV induced the formation of TNT in human primary macrophages in correlation with viral replication. Based on these results we hypothesized that during HIV infection, TNTs are hijacked by HIV to spread infection. TNT like structures may be a novel mechanism of amplification of HIV infection. Our findings and those of others require further investigation to identify the specific mechanims by which pathogens use TNT.

This article refers to:

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Institutes of Mental Health grants (MH075679, MH083497 and MH070297 to Joan W. Berman), NIH Centers for AIDS Research (CFAR) Grant AI-051519, the National Institute of Health Experimental Neuropathology Training Grant (NS07098 to Peter J. Gaskill), the National Institutes of Drug Abuse (Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award, F32DA024965 to Peter J. Gaskill) and by a KO1 grant from the National Institute of Mental Health (MH076679 to Eliseo A. Eugenin).

Addendum to: