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Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is caused by a lenti virus named human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).HIV was first discovered in 1981 and since then millions of people worldwide have died from the disease. In Iran thousands of people are found to be HIV+ and the number is growing up every day. The major cause of mortality among AIDS patients are opportunist infectious agents and different types of cancer due to severely deficient immune system. Advances in molecular biology within last two decades have lead to a better understanding from molecular structure and pathogenicity of HIV, which promises efficient therapeutic ways to cure the disease in near future. In present article, first we discuss molecular structure and biology of HIV, its genome, life-cycle and pathogenicity. Then we go through molecular details of immune system responses against the virus and mechanisms by which HIV suppresses immune system: like evasion from antibody, cytotoxic T lymphocytes, antibody- mediated neutralization, reduction of major histocompatiblity complex (MHC), and destruction of CD4+ helper T cells.

Keywords: Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS); Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV); Molecular biology; Immune system

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