Year: 2017
Type: article
Abstract: Despite successful control of viremia by combined antiretroviral therapy, brain infection and its resulting neurocognitive impairment remain a prevalent comorbidity in HIV infected individuals. HIV invades the brain early in the course of infection via penetration through the blood-brain barrier (BBB). While the impact of HIV on BBB astrocytes and endothelial cells is relatively well studied, the role of pericytes in BBB regulation during HIV infection remains unclear; however, it is known that a selective population of pericytes is prone to infection. In the present study, we hypothesize that injury signals are propagated from infected pericytes to neighboring cells via gap junction (GJ)-mediated intercellular communication. Among a variety of studied GJ proteins, HIV infection of human brain pericytes specifically increased expression of connexin 43 as determined by immunoblotting and immunostaining. This effect was confirmed in the brains of mice infected with EcoHIV, a mouse-specific HIV strain. In addition, HIV infection enhanced functional GJ-mediated intercellular communication in pericytes. The importance of this process was confirmed in experiments in which inhibition of GJs by carbenoxolone attenuated HIV infection. In addition to GJs, an extracellular ATP release assay revealed that HIV may also play a role in opening of connexin (Cx)-containing hemichannels (HCs). Overall, these findings indicate an important role of GJs in the propagation of HIV infection in human brain pericytes that may contribute to BBB dysfunction in brain infection and the pathogenesis of NeuroAIDS.
Authors: Hyung Joon Cho, Alyce Mei-Shiuan Kuo, Luc Bertrand, Michal Toborek
Institution: University of Miami
Language: English
Topic: Connexins and lens biology
Subfield: Molecular Biology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,801
Funders: University of Miami, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Health Systems, National Institutes of Health, Miami Center for AIDS Research, Center for AIDS Research, University of Washington, Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
Awards: G169756849, G2630461588, Role of cerebral vasculature in brain ischemia in HIV infection, G3138949240, Exercise as a novel strategy to target methamphetamine-induced cerebrovascular to, Prevention of HIV and drug abuse-induced brain pathology by targeting mitochondria, G8049732882, Role of the BBB in HIV brain infection during methamphetamine abuse, Interplay between cArt, HIV, and amyloid at the blood-brain barrier., G8968883607, G9000167243, G9000299556, HIV-1 and amyloid beta interactions at the blood-brain barrier, Miami Center for AIDS Research
OpenAlex ID: W2773569734