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Yandrapally S, Sarkar S, Banerjee S. HIV-1 Tat commandeers nuclear export of Rev-viral RNA complex by controlling hnRNPA2-mediated splicing. J Virol 2023; 97:e0104423. [PMID: 37905837 PMCID: PMC10688328 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01044-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE HIV-infected host cells impose varied degrees of regulation on viral replication, from very high to abortive. Proliferation of HIV in astrocytes is limited when compared to immune cells, such as CD4+ T lymphocytes. Understanding such differential regulation is one of the key questions in the field as these cells permit HIV persistence and rebound viremia, challenging HIV treatment and clinical cure. This study focuses on understanding the molecular mechanism behind such cell-specific disparities. We show that one of the key mechanisms is the regulation of heterogenous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A2, a host factor involved in alternative splicing and RNA processing, by HIV-1 Tat in CD4+ T lymphocytes, not observed in astrocytes. This regulation causes an increase in the levels of unspliced/partially spliced viral RNA and nuclear export of Rev-RNA complexes which results in high viral propagation in CD4+ T lymphocytes. The study reveals a new mechanism imposed by HIV on host cells that determines the fate of infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sriram Yandrapally
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, Telangana, India
| | - Satarupa Sarkar
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, Telangana, India
| | - Sharmistha Banerjee
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, Telangana, India
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Chen KY, Chen YJ, Cheng CJ, Jhan KY, Chiu CH, Wang LC. 3-Hydroxybenzaldehyde and 4-Hydroxybenzaldehyde enhance survival of mouse astrocytes treated with Angiostrongylus cantonensis young adults excretory/secretory products. Biomed J 2020; 44:S258-S266. [PMID: 35300947 PMCID: PMC9068576 DOI: 10.1016/j.bj.2020.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2020] [Revised: 10/28/2020] [Accepted: 11/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Methods Results Conclusions
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Jayant RD, Tiwari S, Atluri V, Kaushik A, Tomitaka A, Yndart A, Colon-Perez L, Febo M, Nair M. Multifunctional Nanotherapeutics for the Treatment of neuroAIDS in Drug Abusers. Sci Rep 2018; 8:12991. [PMID: 30154522 PMCID: PMC6113246 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-31285-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2018] [Accepted: 08/07/2018] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
HIV and substance abuse plays an important role in infection and disease progression. Further, the presence of persistent viral CNS reservoirs makes the complete eradication difficult. Thus, neutralizing the drug of abuse effect on HIV-1 infectivity and elimination of latently infected cells is a priority. The development of a multi-component [antiretroviral drugs (ARV), latency reactivating agents (LRA) and drug abuse antagonist (AT)] sustained release nanoformulation targeting the CNS can overcome the issues of HIV-1 cure and will help in improving the drug adherence. The novel magneto-liposomal nanoformulation (NF) was developed to load different types of drugs (LRAs, ARVs, and Meth AT) and evaluated for in-vitro and in-vivo BBB transmigration and antiviral efficacy in primary CNS cells. We established the HIV-1 latency model using human astrocyte cells (HA) and optimized the dose of LRA for latency reversal, Meth AT in in-vitro cell culture system. Further, PEGylated magneto-liposomal NF was developed, characterized for size, shape, drug loading and BBB transport in-vitro. Results showed that drug released in a sustained manner up to 10 days and able to reduce the HIV-1 infectivity up to ~40-50% (>200 pg/mL to <100 pg/mL) continuously using single NF treatment ± Meth treatment in-vitro. The magnetic treatment (0.8 T) was able to transport (15.8% ± 5.5%) NF effectively without inducing any toxic effects due to NF presence in the brain. Thus, our approach and result showed a way to eradicate HIV-1 reservoirs from the CNS and possibility to improve the therapeutic adherence to drugs in drug abusing (Meth) population. In conclusion, the developed NF can provide a better approach for the HIV-1 cure and a foundation for future HIV-1 purging strategies from the CNS using nanotechnology platform.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rahul Dev Jayant
- Institute of NeuroImmune Pharmacology, Center for Personalized Nanomedicine, Department of Immunology and Nano-Medicine, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Florida International University, Miami, FL, 33199, USA.
| | - Sneham Tiwari
- Institute of NeuroImmune Pharmacology, Center for Personalized Nanomedicine, Department of Immunology and Nano-Medicine, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Florida International University, Miami, FL, 33199, USA
| | - Venkata Atluri
- Institute of NeuroImmune Pharmacology, Center for Personalized Nanomedicine, Department of Immunology and Nano-Medicine, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Florida International University, Miami, FL, 33199, USA
| | - Ajeet Kaushik
- Institute of NeuroImmune Pharmacology, Center for Personalized Nanomedicine, Department of Immunology and Nano-Medicine, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Florida International University, Miami, FL, 33199, USA
| | - Asahi Tomitaka
- Institute of NeuroImmune Pharmacology, Center for Personalized Nanomedicine, Department of Immunology and Nano-Medicine, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Florida International University, Miami, FL, 33199, USA
| | - Adriana Yndart
- Institute of NeuroImmune Pharmacology, Center for Personalized Nanomedicine, Department of Immunology and Nano-Medicine, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Florida International University, Miami, FL, 33199, USA
| | - Luis Colon-Perez
- Department of Psychiatry, The McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 33610, USA
| | - Marcelo Febo
- Department of Psychiatry, The McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 33610, USA
| | - Madhavan Nair
- Institute of NeuroImmune Pharmacology, Center for Personalized Nanomedicine, Department of Immunology and Nano-Medicine, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Florida International University, Miami, FL, 33199, USA.
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Barat C, Proust A, Deshiere A, Leboeuf M, Drouin J, Tremblay MJ. Astrocytes sustain long-term productive HIV-1 infection without establishment of reactivable viral latency. Glia 2018; 66:1363-1381. [PMID: 29464785 DOI: 10.1002/glia.23310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2017] [Revised: 01/19/2018] [Accepted: 01/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The "shock and kill" HIV-1 cure strategy proposes eradication of stable cellular reservoirs by clinical treatment with latency-reversing agents (LRAs). Although resting CD4+ T cells latently infected with HIV-1 constitute the main reservoir that is targeted by these approaches, their consequences on other reservoirs such as the central nervous system are still unknown and should be taken into consideration. We performed experiments aimed at defining the possible role of astrocytes in HIV-1 persistence in the brain and the effect of LRA treatments on this viral sanctuary. We first demonstrate that the diminished HIV-1 production in a proliferating astrocyte culture is due to a reduced proliferative capacity of virus-infected cells compared with uninfected astrocytes. In contrast, infection of non-proliferating astrocytes led to a robust HIV-1 infection that was sustained for over 60 days. To identify astrocytes latently infected with HIV-1, we designed a new dual-color reporter virus called NL4.3 eGFP-IRES-Crimson that is fully infectious and encodes for all viral proteins. Although we detected a small fraction of astrocytes carrying silent HIV-1 proviruses, we did not observe any reactivation using various LRAs and even strong inducers such as tumor necrosis factor, thus suggesting that these proviruses were either not transcriptionally competent or in a state of deep latency. Our findings imply that astrocytes might not constitute a latent reservoir per se but that relentless virus production by this brain cell population could contribute to the neurological disorders seen in HIV-1-infected persons subjected to combination antiretroviral therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corinne Barat
- Axe des Maladies Infectieuses et Immunitaires, Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec-Université Laval, Québec, Canada
| | - Alizé Proust
- Axe des Maladies Infectieuses et Immunitaires, Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec-Université Laval, Québec, Canada
| | - Alexandre Deshiere
- Axe des Maladies Infectieuses et Immunitaires, Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec-Université Laval, Québec, Canada
| | - Mathieu Leboeuf
- Département d'Obstétrique, Gynécologie et Reproduction, Faculté de Médecine, Université Laval, Québec, Canada
| | - Jean Drouin
- Département de Médecine Familiale et d'urgence, Faculté de Médecine, Université Laval, Québec, Canada
| | - Michel J Tremblay
- Axe des Maladies Infectieuses et Immunitaires, Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec-Université Laval, Québec, Canada.,Département de Microbiologie-Infectiologie et Immunologie, Faculté de Médecine, Université Laval, Québec, Canada
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Chen KY, Wang LC. Stimulation of IL-1β and IL-6 through NF-κB and sonic hedgehog-dependent pathways in mouse astrocytes by excretory/secretory products of fifth-stage larval Angiostrongylus cantonensis. Parasit Vectors 2017; 10:445. [PMID: 28950910 PMCID: PMC5615811 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-017-2385-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2017] [Accepted: 09/17/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Angiostrongylus cantonensis is an important causative agent of eosinophilic meningitis and eosinophilic meningoencephalitis in humans. Previous studies have shown that the Sonic hedgehog (Shh) signaling pathway may reduce cell apoptosis by inhibiting oxidative stress in A. cantonensis infection. In this study, we investigated the relationship between cytokine secretion and Shh pathway activation after treatment with excretory/secretory products (ESP) of fifth-stage larval A. cantonensis (L5). RESULTS The results showed that IL-1β and IL-6 levels in mouse astrocytes were increased. Moreover, ESP stimulated the protein expression of Shh pathway molecules, including Shh, Ptch, Smo and Gli-1, and induced IL-1β and IL-6 secretion. The transcription factor nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) plays an important role in inflammation, and it regulates the expression of proinflammatory genes, including cytokines and chemokines, such as IL-1β and TNF-α. After ESP treatment, NF-κB induced IL-1β and IL-6 secretion in astrocytes by activating the Shh signaling pathway. CONCLUSIONS Overall, the data presented in this study showed that ESP of fifth-stage larval A. cantonensis stimulates astrocyte activation and cytokine generation through NF-κB and the Shh signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kuang-Yao Chen
- Department of Parasitology, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, 333, Taiwan
| | - Lian-Chen Wang
- Department of Parasitology, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, 333, Taiwan. .,Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, 333, Taiwan. .,Molecular Infectious Disease Research Centre, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
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Bivalkar-Mehla S, Mehla R, Chauhan A. Chimeric peptide-mediated siRNA transduction to inhibit HIV-1 infection. J Drug Target 2016; 25:307-319. [PMID: 27800697 DOI: 10.1080/1061186x.2016.1245311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Persistent human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) infection provokes immune activation and depletes CD4+ lymphocytes, leading to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. Uninterrupted administration of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) in HIV-infected patients suppresses viral replication to below the detectable level and partially restores the immune system. However, cART-unresponsive residual HIV-1 infection and elusive transcriptionally silent but reactivatable viral reservoirs maintain a permanent viral DNA blue print. The virus rebounds within a few weeks after interruption of suppressive therapy. Adjunct gene therapy to control viral replication by ribonucleic acid interference (RNAi) is a post-transcriptional gene silencing strategy that could suppress residual HIV-1 burden and overcome viral resistance. Small interfering ribonucleic acids (siRNAs) are efficient transcriptional inhibitors, but need delivery systems to reach inside target cells. We investigated the potential of chimeric peptide (FP-PTD) to deliver specific siRNAs to HIV-1-susceptible and permissive cells. Chimeric FP-PTD peptide was designed with an RNA binding domain (PTD) to bind siRNA and a cell fusion peptide domain (FP) to enter cells. FP-PTD-siRNA complex entered and inhibited HIV-1 replication in susceptible cells, and could be a candidate for in vivo testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shalmali Bivalkar-Mehla
- a Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology , University of South Carolina School of Medicine , Columbia , SC , USA
| | - Rajeev Mehla
- a Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology , University of South Carolina School of Medicine , Columbia , SC , USA
| | - Ashok Chauhan
- a Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology , University of South Carolina School of Medicine , Columbia , SC , USA
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Li GH, Henderson L, Nath A. Astrocytes as an HIV Reservoir: Mechanism of HIV Infection. Curr HIV Res 2016; 14:373-381. [PMID: 27719663 PMCID: PMC11345863 DOI: 10.2174/1570162x14666161006121455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2015] [Revised: 08/23/2016] [Accepted: 08/23/2016] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
If we have any hope of achieving a cure for HIV infection, close attention to the cell types capable of getting infected with HIV is necessary. Of these cell types, astrocytes are the most ideal cell type for the formation of such a reservoir. These are long-lived cells with a very low turnover rate and are found in the brain and the gastrointestinal tract. Although astrocytes are evidently resistant to infection of cell-free HIV in vitro, these cells are efficiently infected via cell-tocell contact by which immature HIV virions bud off lymphocytes and have the ability to directly bind to CXCR4, triggering the process of fusion in the absence of CD4. In this review, we closely examine the evidence for HIV infection of astrocytes in the brain and the mechanisms for viral entry and regulation in this cell type, and discuss an approach for controlling this viral reservoir.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guan-Han Li
- Section of Infections of the Nervous System, NIH/NINDS, 10 Centre Dr., 7C120, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA.
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Borgmann K, Ghorpade A. HIV-1, methamphetamine and astrocytes at neuroinflammatory Crossroads. Front Microbiol 2015; 6:1143. [PMID: 26579077 PMCID: PMC4621459 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2015.01143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2015] [Accepted: 10/05/2015] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
As a popular psychostimulant, methamphetamine (METH) use leads to long-lasting, strong euphoric effects. While METH abuse is common in the general population, between 10 and 15% of human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) patients report having abused METH. METH exacerbates the severity and onset of HIV-1-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) through direct and indirect mechanisms. Repetitive METH use impedes adherence to antiretroviral drug regimens, increasing the likelihood of HIV-1 disease progression toward AIDS. METH exposure also directly affects both innate and adaptive immunity, altering lymphocyte numbers and activity, cytokine signaling, phagocytic function and infiltration through the blood brain barrier. Further, METH triggers the dopamine reward pathway and leads to impaired neuronal activity and direct toxicity. Concurrently, METH and HIV-1 alter the neuroimmune balance and induce neuroinflammation, which modulates a wide range of brain functions including neuronal signaling and activity, glial activation, viral infection, oxidative stress, and excitotoxicity. Pathologically, reactive gliosis is a hallmark of both HIV-1- and METH-associated neuroinflammation. Significant commonality exists in the neurotoxic mechanisms for both METH and HAND; however, the pathways dysregulated in astroglia during METH exposure are less clear. Thus, this review highlights alterations in astrocyte intracellular signaling pathways, gene expression and function during METH and HIV-1 comorbidity, with special emphasis on HAND-associated neuroinflammation. Importantly, this review carefully evaluates interventions targeting astrocytes in HAND and METH as potential novel therapeutic approaches. This comprehensive overview indicates, without a doubt, that during HIV-1 infection and METH abuse, a complex dialog between all neural cells is orchestrated through astrocyte regulated neuroinflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen Borgmann
- Department of Cell Biology and Immunology, University of North Texas Health Science Center Fort Worth, TX, USA
| | - Anuja Ghorpade
- Department of Cell Biology and Immunology, University of North Texas Health Science Center Fort Worth, TX, USA
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Abstract
Autophagy, a lysosomal degradative pathway that maintains cellular homeostasis, has emerged as an innate immune defense against pathogens. The role of autophagy in the deregulated HIV-infected central nervous system (CNS) is unclear. We have found that HIV-1-induced neuro-glial (neurons and astrocytes) damage involves modulation of the autophagy pathway. Neuro-glial stress induced by HIV-1 led to biochemical and morphological dysfunctions. X4 HIV-1 produced neuro-glial toxicity coupled with suppression of autophagy, while R5 HIV-1-induced toxicity was restricted to neurons. Rapamycin, a specific mTOR inhibitor (autophagy inducer) relieved the blockage of the autophagy pathway caused by HIV-1 and resulted in neuro-glial protection. Further understanding of the regulation of autophagy by cytokines and chemokines or other signaling events may lead to recognition of therapeutic targets for neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajeev Mehla
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC 29209, USA
| | - Ashok Chauhan
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC 29209, USA.
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Chauhan A. Enigma of HIV-1 latent infection in astrocytes: an in-vitro study using protein kinase C agonist as a latency reversing agent. Microbes Infect 2015; 17:651-9. [PMID: 26043820 DOI: 10.1016/j.micinf.2015.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2015] [Revised: 05/20/2015] [Accepted: 05/21/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Purging HIV-1 to cure the infection in patients undergoing suppressive antiretroviral therapy requires targeting all possible viral reservoirs. Other than the memory CD4(+) T cells, several other HIV-1 reservoirs have been identified. HIV-1 infection in the brain as a reservoir is well documented, but not fully characterized. There, microglia, perivascular macrophages, and astrocytes can be infected by HIV-1. HIV-1 infection in astrocytes has been described as a nonproductive and primarily a latent infection. Using primary human astrocytes, we investigated latent HIV-1 infection and tested phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), a protein kinase C agonist, as an HIV-1-latency- reversing agent in infected astrocytes. Chloroquine (CQ) was used to facilitate initial HIV-1 escape from endosomes in astrocytes. CQ significantly increased HIV-1 infection. But treatment with PMA or viral Tat protein was similar to untreated HIV-1-infected astrocytes. Long-term follow-up of VSV-envelope-pseudotyped HIV-1 infected astrocytes showed persistent infection for 110 days, indicating the active state of the virus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashok Chauhan
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC 29209, USA.
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Chauhan A, Khandkar M. Endocytosis of human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) in astrocytes: a fiery path to its destination. Microb Pathog 2014; 78:1-6. [PMID: 25448132 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2014.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2014] [Revised: 10/24/2014] [Accepted: 11/03/2014] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Despite successful suppression of peripheral HIV-1 infection by combination antiretroviral therapy, immune activation by residual virus in the brain leads to HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND). In the brain, several types of cells, including microglia, perivascular macrophage, and astrocytes have been reported to be infected by HIV-1. Astrocytes, the most abundant cells in the brain, maintain homeostasis. The general consensus on HIV-1 infection in astrocytes is that it produces unproductive viral infection. HIV-1 enters astrocytes by pH-dependent endocytosis, leading to degradation of the virus in endosomes, but barely succeeds in infection. Here, we have discussed endocytosis-mediated HIV-1 entry and viral programming in astrocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashok Chauhan
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, 6439 Garners Ferry Road, Columbia, SC 29209, USA.
| | - Mehrab Khandkar
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, 6439 Garners Ferry Road, Columbia, SC 29209, USA
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Chauhan A, Tikoo A, Patel J, Abdullah AM. HIV-1 endocytosis in astrocytes: a kiss of death or survival of the fittest? Neurosci Res 2014; 88:16-22. [PMID: 25219546 DOI: 10.1016/j.neures.2014.08.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2014] [Revised: 08/14/2014] [Accepted: 08/18/2014] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The brain is a target of HIV-1 and serves as an important viral reservoir. Astrocytes, the most abundant glial cell in the human brain, are involved in brain plasticity and neuroprotection. Several studies have reported HIV-1 infection of astrocytes in cell cultures and infected brain tissues. The prevailing concept is that HIV-1 infection of astrocytes leads to latent infection. Here, we provide our perspective on endocytosis-mediated HIV-1 entry and its fate in astrocytes. Natural entry of HIV-1 into astrocytes occurs via endocytosis. However, endocytosis of HIV-1 in astrocytes is a natural death trap where the majority of virus particles are degraded in endosomes and a few which escape intact lead to successful infection. Thus, regardless of artificial fine-tuning (treatment with cytokines or proinflammatory products) done to astrocytes, HIV-1 does not infect them efficiently unless the viral entry route or the endosomal enzymatic machinery has been manipulated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashok Chauhan
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC 29209, United States; Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC 29209, United States.
| | - Akshay Tikoo
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC 29209, United States
| | - Jankiben Patel
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC 29209, United States
| | - Arwa Mujahid Abdullah
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC 29209, United States
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