title: Morphine and galectin-1 modulate HIV-1 infection of human monocyte-derived macrophages.
abstract: Morphine is a widely abused, addictive drug that modulates immune function. Macrophages are a primary reservoir of HIV-1; therefore, they play a role in the development of this disease, as well as impact the overall course of disease progression. Galectin-1 is a member of a family of β-galactoside-binding lectins that are soluble adhesion molecules and that mediate direct cell-pathogen interactions during HIV-1 viral adhesion. Because the drug abuse epidemic and the HIV-1 epidemic are closely interrelated, we propose that increased expression of galectin-1 induced by morphine may modulate HIV-1 infection of human monocyte-derived macrophages (MDMs). In this article, we show that galectin-1 gene and protein expression are potentiated by incubation with morphine. Confirming previous studies, morphine alone or galectin-1 alone enhance HIV-1 infection of MDMs. Concomitant incubation with exogenous galectin-1 and morphine potentiated HIV-1 infection of MDMs. We used a nanotechnology approach that uses gold nanorod-galectin-1 small interfering RNA complexes (nanoplexes) to inhibit gene expression for galectin-1. We found that nanoplexes silenced gene expression for galectin-1, and they reversed the effects of morphine on galectin-1 expression. Furthermore, the effects of morphine on HIV-1 infection were reduced in the presence of the nanoplex.
authors.affiliation: Division of Allergy, Immunology, and Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA. jlr8@buffalo.edu
authors.forename: Jessica L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Reynolds
authors.forename: Wing Cheung
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Law
authors.forename: Supriya D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Mahajan
authors.forename: Ravikumar
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Aalinkeel
authors.forename: Bindukumar
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nair
authors.forename: Donald E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Sykes
authors.forename: Manoj J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Mammen
authors.forename: Ken-Tye
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Yong
authors.forename: Rui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hui
authors.forename: Paras N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Prasad
authors.forename: Stanley A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Schwartz
mesh_terms: D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D037483:Galectin 1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000494:pharmacology; D015870:Gene Expression; D020868:Gene Silencing; D006046:Gold; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D009020:Morphine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D043942:Nanotubes; D009294:Narcotics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D015398:Signal Transduction; D019562:Viral Load / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D037483:Galectin 1; D009294:Narcotics; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D006046:Gold; D009020:Morphine