Question

HIV antagonizes the ___________ cell in human body.

(a) Red Blood Cell (RBC)

(b) Cytotoxic T cell

(c) B cell

(d) Helper T cell

The question was posed to me in a national level competition.

The doubt is from Cell Introduction in section Introduction to Cell of Cell Biology

Answer 1

Correct option is (d) Helper T cell

For explanation I would say: HIV or Human Immune deficiency Virus infects the Helper T cells present in the blood. It recognizes the CD4 proteins on the surface of the helper T cells and thus infects it. By doing this, HIV manipulates the very cells which activate both B cells and Cytotoxic T cells.