Which component of immune response is crippled in AIDS

Answer: Option C

Helper T-cells are the component of the immune response that is crippled in AIDS.
HIV can destroy CD4 cells by direct virus cytotoxicity and indirectly through the host response against HIV-infected cells or gp120-targeted cells.
Cells of the macrophage lineage are generally not destroyed but serve as a reservoir of the virus. HIV also causes functional impairment in T cells, B cells and monocytes.