Role of mathematical modeling on the optimal control of HIV‐1 pathogenesis

Abstract

Abstract Mathematical modeling of HIV‐1 infection has proven to be instrumental for the modern understanding basis of the AIDS pathogenesis, since it offers the unique means to adequately pose hypotheses concerning AIDS dynamics and treatment protocols. Focusing on the HIV‐1 subtype‐B epidemic, a comprehensive review and discussion of the state‐of‐the‐art in the area is presented. Based on recent results, this multidisciplinary study is then extended to a more in‐depth view at the cellular and molecular biology levels that address key issues concerned with the natural history of AIDS, as the basic human anatomic model, the host cell entry of HIV‐1, the quantification the HIV‐1 infectivity in terms of viral coreceptor specificity, as well as regulation and expression of CCR5 and CXCR4 molecules on the target cell, the T‐lymphocyte generation and infection models, and the immune response model. In the sequence, modeling techniques for AIDS pathogenesis are revised and models concerned with either the general HIV‐1 dynamics or specifically related to the HIV‐1 primary infection are discussed. Ultimately, a general framework for the real‐world problem of optimizing the highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) benefits is proposed regarding the important questions associated with the drug chemotherapy resistance, side effects and costs. © 2005 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2006