title: Microglia in HIV-associated neurological diseases.
abstract: Human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1) is a neurotropic virus linked to a variety of progressive neurologic disorders. This review describes our current understanding of how HIV-1 enters the nervous system and interacts with neuronal and non-neuronal cells to initiate and sustain neurologic dysfunction. The overwhelming majority of cells infected with HIV-1 in the nervous system are microglia/macrophages. Microglial/macrophage infection leads to immune dysregulation as well as production and release of cytotoxic molecules. Interaction of these infected cells with astrocytes may accelerate neurotoxic mechanisms. A hypothetical scenario for how HIV-1 infection leads to neurologic disease is presented.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Neurology and Pathology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, USA. jglas03@emory.edu
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Glass
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Wesselingh
mesh_terms: D015526:AIDS Dementia Complex / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000821:virology; D000818:Animals; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008264:Macrophages / Q000821:virology; D017628:Microglia / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology*
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines