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A potential role for interferon-alpha in the pathogenesis of HIV-associated dementia.
- Source :
-
Brain, behavior, and immunity [Brain Behav Immun] 1995 Dec; Vol. 9 (4), pp. 366-77. - Publication Year :
- 1995
-
Abstract
- Previous studies in patients receiving interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) therapy and patients with systemic lupus erythematosus have demonstrated that elevated cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of IFN-alpha are associated with cognitive dysfunction. We measured IFN-alpha levels in CSF and blood by ELISA in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive patients with (n = 21) and without (n = 23) dementia and HIV-negative controls (n = 48). IFN-alpha was significantly elevated in the CSF of HIV-positive patients with dementia compared to those without dementia and controls. An increasing amount of IFN-alpha in the CSF was correlated with the clinical parameter of increasing Memorial Sloan Kettering scores; although these correlations were not statistically significant, they further suggest an association of increased CSF IFN-alpha with neurocognitive dysfunction in AIDS. Immunocytochemical staining of brains demonstrated IFN-alpha-positive macrophages and astrocytes in frontal cortex and white matter and IFN-alpha mRNA was detected by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction, further indicating that IFN-alpha is made by cells within the brain and suggesting that the significant increases of IFN-alpha protein found in the CSF of patients with HIV-associated dementia complex are derived from intrinsic brain cells such as macrophages and astrocytes. Increased local production of IFN-alpha during HIV infection may contribute directly or indirectly to the pathogenesis of HIV-associated dementia.
- Subjects :
- AIDS Dementia Complex blood
AIDS Dementia Complex cerebrospinal fluid
AIDS Dementia Complex physiopathology
Astrocytes metabolism
Base Sequence
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
HIV Infections blood
HIV Infections cerebrospinal fluid
Humans
Interferon-alpha blood
Interferon-alpha cerebrospinal fluid
Macrophages metabolism
Molecular Sequence Data
Nervous System Diseases blood
Nervous System Diseases cerebrospinal fluid
Polymerase Chain Reaction
RNA, Messenger analysis
Severity of Illness Index
AIDS Dementia Complex etiology
Cerebrospinal Fluid Proteins analysis
Interferon-alpha physiology
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 0889-1591
- Volume :
- 9
- Issue :
- 4
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Brain, behavior, and immunity
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 8903853
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1006/brbi.1995.1034