The changes observed in the abundance of CCR5 and CXCR4 chemokine receptors on CD4+ T-cells and of cytokines/chemokines during the natural course of non-clade B HIV-1 infection suggests that the phenotypic switch is not driven by changes in the levels of these receptors or anti-HIV cytokines. Here, CXCR4 is linked to HIV-1 infection.