title: HIV-1 decreases the levels of neurotrophins in human lymphocytes.
abstract: Neurotrophins control cell survival. Therefore, we examined whether HIV-1 reduces neurotrophin levels. Serum of HIV-positive individuals exhibited lower concentrations of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), but not of other neurotrophins, than HIV-negative individuals. In addition, R5 and X4 strains of HIV-1 decreased BDNF expression in T cells. Our results support the hypothesis that reduced levels of BDNF may be a risk factor for T-cell apoptosis and for neurological complications associated with HIV-1 infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, District of Columbia, USA.
authors.forename: Valeriya
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Avdoshina
authors.forename: Alfredo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Garzino-Demo
authors.forename: Alessia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bachis
authors.forename: Maria C G
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Monaco
authors.forename: Pauline M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Maki
authors.forename: Rochelle E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Tractenberg
authors.forename: Chenglong
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Mary A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Young
authors.forename: Italo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mocchetti
mesh_terms: D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000378:metabolism*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger
chemical_list: D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D012333:RNA, Messenger