Summary
Despite abundant evidence associating CD38 overexpression and CD4 T cell depletion in HIV infection, no causal relation has been investigated. To address this issue, we propose a series of mechanisms, supported by evidence from different fields, by which CD38 overexpression could facilitate CD4 T cell depletion in HIV infection. According to our model, increased catalytic activity of CD38 may reduce CD4 T cells’ cytoplasmic nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD), leading to a chronic Warburg effect. This would reduce mitochondrial function. Simultaneously, CD38’s catalytic products ADPR and cADPR may be transported to the cytoplasm, where they can activate calcium channels and increase cytoplasmic Ca2+ concentrations, further altering mitochondrial integrity. These mechanisms would decrease the viability and regenerative capacity of CD4 T cells. These hypotheses can be tested experimentally, and might reveal novel therapeutic targets.