Monocyte infiltration is highly associated with loss of the tight junction protein zonula occludens in HIV-1-associated dementia.
In human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1-associated dementia (HAD), consequences of interactions between infiltrating monocytes and brain endothelial cells are not yet fully understood. This study investigated whether the blood-brain barrier is affected in brain tissue of patients suffering from HAD and whether it was possible to find a correlation with the presence or absence of monocytic cells, which have been suggested to play a major role in HAD. Immunohistochemical analysis for zonula occludens 1, a tight junction protein, and CD68, a macrophage marker, revealed that loss of tight junction immunoreactivity was highly correlated with monocyte infiltration and with HAD. This suggests that the presence of perivascular macrophages cells is associated with breakdown of the blood-brain barrier thereby facilitating infiltration of more monocytic cells hence enhancing disease progression.
Eijkman-Winkler Institute, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands. laboven@yahoo.com
L A
LA
Boven
J
J
Middel
J
J
Verhoef
C J
CJ
De Groot
H S
HS
Nottet
D015526:AIDS Dementia Complex / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000150:complications; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000378:metabolism; D015214:Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic / Q000378:metabolism; D001812:Blood-Brain Barrier; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D015497:HIV-1; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000172:deficiency; D009000:Monocytes / Q000473:pathology*; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000172:deficiency; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D019108:Tight Junctions / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D062826:Zonula Occludens-1 Protein; D000097382:CD68 Molecule
D015703:Antigens, CD; D015214:Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D010750:Phosphoproteins; D062826:Zonula Occludens-1 Protein; C067980:CD68 antigen, human; D000097382:CD68 Molecule; C569042:TJP1 protein, human