With reference to other RNA viruses, HIV-1 infection was found to induce the opening of ubiquitously expressed Pannexin-1 (Panx-1) channels on the surface of peripheral blood mononuclear cells, leading to a release of ATP that could stimulate purinergic signaling pathways that enhanced viral binding, accelerating HIV infectious entry and contributed to the compromised synaptic function found in cases of HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder (85). Here, PANX1 is linked to HIV-1 infection.