title: Associations between brain microstructures, metabolites, and cognitive deficits during chronic HIV-1 infection of humanized mice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Host-species specificity of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) limits pathobiologic, diagnostic and therapeutic research investigations to humans and non-human primates. The emergence of humanized mice as a model for viral infection of the nervous system has overcome such restrictions enabling research for HIV-associated end organ disease including behavioral, cognitive and neuropathologic deficits reflective of neuroAIDS. Chronic HIV-1 infection of NOD/scid-IL-2Rgcnull mice transplanted with human CD34+ hematopoietic stem cells (CD34-NSG) leads to persistent viremia, profound CD4+ T lymphocyte loss and infection of human monocyte-macrophages in the meninges and perivascular spaces. Murine cells are not infected with virus.
  
  
  METHODS
  Changes in mouse behavior were measured, starting at 8 weeks after viral infection. These were recorded coordinate with magnetic resonance spectroscopy metabolites including N-acetylaspartate (NAA), creatine and choline. Diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging (DTI) was recorded against multispectral immunohistochemical staining for neuronal markers that included microtubule associated protein-2 (MAP2), neurofilament (NF) and synaptophysin (SYN); for astrocyte glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP); and for microglial ionized calcium binding adaptor molecule 1 (Iba-1). Oligodendrocyte numbers and integrity were measured for myelin associated glycoprotein (MAG) and myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) antigens.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Behavioral abnormalities were readily observed in HIV-1 infected mice. Longitudinal open field activity tests demonstrated lack of habituation indicating potential for memory loss and persistent anxiety in HIV-1 infected mice compared to uninfected controls. End-point NAA and creatine in the cerebral cortex increased with decreased MAG. NAA and glutamate decreased with decreased SYN and MAG. Robust inflammation reflected GFAP and Iba-1 staining intensities. DTI metrics were coordinate with deregulation of NF, Iba-1, MOG and MAG levels in the whisker barrel and MAP2, NF, MAG, MOG and SYN in the corpus callosum.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings are consistent with some of the clinical, biochemical and pathobiologic features of human HIV-1 nervous system infections. This model will prove useful towards investigating the mechanisms of HIV-1 induced neuropathology and in developing novel biomarkers and therapeutic strategies for disease.
authors.forename: Michael D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Boska
authors.forename: Prasanta K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Dash
authors.forename: Jaclyn
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Knibbe
authors.forename: Adrian A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Epstein
authors.forename: Sidra P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Akhter
authors.forename: Natasha
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fields
authors.forename: Robin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: High
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Makarov
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bonasera
authors.forename: Harris A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Gelbard
authors.forename: Larisa Y
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Poluektova
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA. hegendel@unmc.edu.
authors.forename: Howard E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Gendelman
authors.forename: Santhi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gorantla
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000473:pathology*; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000821:virology; D015658:HIV Infections; D015497:HIV-1; D006801:Humans; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000821:virology; D051379:Mice; D016688:Mice, Inbred NOD; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins