Therefore, the initial contact of HIV-1 with DCs can result in opposite outcomes, either beneficial in inducing strong HIV-specific T-cell responses or deleterious in promoting the spread and dissemination of HIV-1 among HIV-specific and HIV-nonspecific CD4 T-cells, leading to the progressive depletion of CD4 T cells that characterize the natural history of chronic HIV-1 infection. This evidence concerns the gene CD4 and HIV-1 infection.