title: Central-nervous-system methyl-group metabolism in children with neurological complications of HIV infection.
abstract: To assess methyl-group metabolism in the central nervous system in infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), levels of 5-methyltetrahydrofolate, methionine, and S-adenosylmethionine were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from six children with congenital HIV infection and neurological complications. Total neopterins were also measured, as a marker of macrophage activation. In all six children concentrations of one or more methyl-group carriers were lower than those in a reference population of children, and all of the five in whom CSF neopterins were measured had higher than normal levels. Defective methylation may play a part in the neurological damage caused by HIV infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Child Health, Institute of Child Health, London, UK.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Surtees
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hyland
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D001708:Biopterins / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004660:Encephalitis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000209:etiology; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000150:complications / Q000151:congenital; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008715:Methionine / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D008745:Methylation; D019798:Neopterin; D012436:S-Adenosylmethionine / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D013763:Tetrahydrofolates / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*
chemical_list: D013763:Tetrahydrofolates; D001708:Biopterins; D019798:Neopterin; D012436:S-Adenosylmethionine; D008715:Methionine; C005984:5-methyltetrahydrofolate