title: HIV-1 envelope gp120 alters astrocytes in human brain cultures.
abstract: The majority of AIDS patients will experience some degree of dementia induced by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1). In this study, we report that treatment of human brain tissue with envelope gp120 of HIV-1 did not cause neuronal death but did cause astrocyte alterations and/or death. Human astrocyte cultures showed decreased expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), as well as the diminution of a major protein of 66 kDa. These findings are similar to the in vitro changes observed when astrocytes are exposed to ammonia and in vivo changes observed in experimental hepatic encephalopathy. We hypothesize that AIDS dementia may partially involve a perturbation of astrocyte function by gp120 that could indirectly impair neuronal function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of California, San Francisco.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pulliam
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: West
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Haigwood
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Swanson
mesh_terms: D015526:AIDS Dementia Complex / Q000209:etiology; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D001665:Binding Sites; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002449:Cell Aggregation / Q000187:drug effects; D016923:Cell Death / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D015699:HIV Envelope Protein gp120 / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D006801:Humans; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D015699:HIV Envelope Protein gp120; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins