Rantes distribution and cellular localization in the brain of HIV-infected patients.
OBJECTIVE
To study the immunochemical distribution ofRantes chemokine and its correlation with HIV-p24 expression, in brains with HIV-related lesions.


METHODS
17 HIV-positive cases of HIV-related brain lesions, 7 HIV-positive cases without cerebral HIV-related lesions (5 with opportunistic brain diseases), and 7 HIV-negative cases as controls (4 with brain lesion) were selected.


RESULTS
High expression of Rantes was observed in the cases with inflammatory brain lesions (22/24 HIV-positive and 2/7 HIV-negative patients). Positivity was observed in the diffuse and nodular microglial cells and lymphocytes. In the patients with HIV-related lesions, the presence of Rantes-stained microglia did not correlate with that of HIV-p24-positive cells. Positive astrocytes were only found in the HIV-positive patients. Multinucleated giant cells were always Rantes-negative.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results seem to demonstrate the role of Rantes chemokine in inducing inflammatory brain perivascular and microglial reactions both in HIV-positive and -negative patients.
Vago
L
L
Pathology Unit, L. Sacco Institute of Medical Science, University of Milan, Milano, Italy.
Nebuloni
M
M
Bonetto
S
S
Pellegrinelli
A
A
Zerbi
P
P
Ferri
A
A
Lavri
E
E
Capra
M
M
Grassi
M P
MP
Costanzi
G
G
D015526:AIDS Dementia Complex / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D018946:Chemokine CCL5 / Q000378:metabolism*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D018023:HIV Seronegativity; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014018:Tissue Distribution
D018946:Chemokine CCL5