Extensive astrocyte infection is prominent in human immunodeficiency virus-associated dementia

• Published in: Annals of neurology Vol. 66; no. 2; pp. 253 - 258
• Main Authors: Churchill, Melissa J., Wesselingh, Steven L., Cowley, Daniel, Pardo, Carlos A., McArthur, Justin C., Brew, Bruce J., Gorry, Paul R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company 01.08.2009; Wiley-Liss
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; AIDS Dementia Complex - pathology; AIDS Dementia Complex - virology; Antigens, CD - metabolism; Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic - metabolism; Astrocytes - metabolism; Astrocytes - virology; Biological and medical sciences; DNA, Viral; Encephalitis, Viral - pathology; Encephalitis, Viral - virology; Female; Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein - metabolism; HIV - isolation & purification; Human immunodeficiency virus; Human viral diseases; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Infectious diseases; Lasers; Macrophages - physiology; Male; Medical sciences; Microdissection; Middle Aged; Neurology; Neurons - virology; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Severity of Illness Index; Viral diseases; Viral diseases of the lymphoid tissue and the blood. Aids; Virus; Infection; Nervous system diseases; Neuroglia; Retroviridae; Degenerative disease; Astrocyte; Human immunodeficiency virus; Lentivirus; Dementia
• ISSN: 0364-5134; 1531-8249; 1531-8249
• DOI: 10.1002/ana.21697

Astrocyte infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is considered rare, so astrocytes are thought to play a secondary role in HIV neuropathogenesis. By combining double immunohistochemistry, laser capture microdissection, and highly sensitive multiplexed polymerase chain reaction to detect HIV DNA in single astrocytes in vivo, we showed that astrocyte infection is extensive in subjects with HIV‐associated dementia, occurring in up to 19% of GFAP+ cells. In addition, astrocyte infection frequency correlated with the severity of neuropathological changes and proximity to perivascular macrophages. Our data indicate that astrocytes can be extensively infected with HIV, and suggest an important role for HIV‐infected astrocytes in HIV neuropathogenesis. Ann Neurol 2009;66:253–258