Critical research directions in pediatric HIV infection

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1992
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 1003 KB
• Volume: 50
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0730-2312
• DOI: 10.1002/jcb.240500903

✦ Synopsis

Brain dysfunction is a common problem for children infected with HIV-1. However, the cause of AIDS encephalopathy remains uncertain, since the retrovirus spares neurons and infects only microglia and macrophages. This "indirect" disruption of the central nervous system may involve production of neurotoxic factors. Some investigators have proposed that the envelope glycoprotein of HIV-1, gp120. is itself a poison which acts by binding to neurons. Alternatively, my laboratory has found that

HIV-1 AND PRODUCTION OF NEUROTOXINS, Dai

Houston, TX 77030 na Giulian, Department of Neurology, Baylor College o f Medicine, monocytoid cells infected with HIV-1 are stimulated to release neuron poisons. Some of these neurotoxic agents are heatstable, protease-resistant molecules with low molecular mass (< 500 Da). Neuron killing by the HIV-1 elicited factors are blocked by antagonists to the N-methyl-D aspartate receptor. Determining the structure and mode of actions for these neurotoxic factors may lead to new strategies for palliative treatment.