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Regular Articles |







§
From the Center for Neurovirology and Neurodegenerative
Disorders,*
the Departments of Pathology and Microbiology
and 
Medicine,
and the Eppley
Institute for Cancer and Allied Diseases,§
University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska; the Division of
Infectious Diseases,¶
Childrens Hospital Los
Angeles, University of Southern California School of Medicine, Los
Angeles, California; the Reed Neurology Research
Institute,||
University of California Los Angeles School
of Medicine, Los Angeles, California; and the Department of
Surgery,**
University of Arizona School of
Medicine, Tucson, Arizona
| Abstract |
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| Introduction |
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(TNF-
), and
nitric oxide (NO).9-13
The mechanisms that regulate MP
activation and secretions may also increase macrophage brain
infiltration and thus lead to HAD.10,11,14-17
After immune activation in the central nervous system (CNS), brain
macrophages, microglia, and astrocytes also secrete chemotactic
cytokines (chemokines). Both MPs and astrocytes are major cellular
sources of CNS ß-chemokines, which specifically regulate the
transendothelial migration of monocytes into brain. The ß-chemokines
include macrophage inflammatory protein-1
(MIP-1
) and -1ß
(MIP-1ß); macrophage chemotactic protein (MCP)-1, MCP-2, and MCP-3;
and regulated on activation normal T cell expressed and secreted
(RANTES).18
Murine microglia produce significant
levels of MIP-1
after lipopolysaccharide (LPS)
stimulation.19
Similarly, human microglia activated with
LPS, TNF-
, or interleukin (IL)-1ß (IL-1ß) secrete significant
amounts of MIP-1
, MIP-1ß, and MCP-1.20
Astrocytes
produce MCP-1 after treatment with TNF-
, tumor growth factor-ß
(TGF-ß),21
or HIV-1 Tat.22
In multiple
sclerosis (MS), demyelinating-lesion-reactive astrocytes produce
MCP-1.23
Both human and simian astrocytes treated with
TNF-
, interferon
, and/or IL-1ß produce large quantities of
MCP-1.24,25
Astrocyte-derived MCP-1 affects monocyte and
lymphocyte blood-brain barrier (BBB) migration.24
Several reports have linked chemokines to the neuropathogenesis of
HIVE. Schmidtmayerova and colleagues26
showed that
chemokine mRNAs are expressed in HIVE brain tissue cells with
morphological features of macrophages/microglia. Both MIP-1
and
MIP-1ß were up-regulated in human monocyte-derived macrophages (MDM)
after HIV-1 infection or treatment with TNF-
. MCP-1 was also
detected in brains and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients with
HAD.22
Astrocytes and neurons principally expressed MCP-1.
In simian immunodeficiency virus encephalitis, MIP-1
, MIP-1ß,
RANTES, and inflammatory protein (IP)-10 were found in
endothelial cells and/or perivascular macrophages.27
Most
recently, Sanders et al28
demonstrated MCP-1 in
microglia/macrophages, astrocytes, and endothelium in and around
microglial nodules in HIVE-affected brain tissue. These reports, taken
together, demonstrated that chemokines are up-regulated in encephalitic
brain tissue. The cellular sources, functional significance, and
effects of chemokines in monocyte BBB migration, however, remained ill
defined. Several questions about how HIV-1-infected monocytes gain
entry into the brain remain unanswered. 1) What chemokines are produced
by macrophages, astrocytes, and other brain cells? 2) Under what
conditions are brain chemokines secreted? 3) Do microglial cells and
astrocytes affect their own chemokine production and monocyte
transendothelial brain migration? 4) Is there a correlation between
chemokine production and immune activation in HIVE? To address these
questions we used laboratory, animal model and human autopsy material
to measure the cell source and function of chemokines during monocyte
migration into the brain. The assaysan in vitro BBB
system, an animal model of HIVE, and pathological analyses of
postmortem brain tissuewere designed to cross-validate one another.
The data independently showed that microglia and astrocytes are
principal sources of ß-chemokines and serve to control monocyte BBB
migration in HAD. Conditioned media from HIV-1-infected and
immune-activated microglia induced significant chemokine production
from astrocytes. Importantly, in human HIVE, prominent microglial
immune activation and, to a lesser extent, HIV-1 infection correlated
with astrogliosis and macrophage brain infiltration. These results
showed that microglial and astroglial activation in HAD are associated
with monocyte transendothelial migration. These neuroimmune
events are crucial components of the pathogenesis of HAD in its human
host.
| Materials and Methods |
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Fetal brain tissue (gestational age, 1419 weeks) was obtained from elective abortions performed in full compliance with the ethical guidelines of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Microglia were isolated and characterized as previously described.29 Adherent microglial cell preparations (>98% pure) were confirmed by CD68 and HAM-56 immunostaining. Human fetal astrocytes were prepared as previously described and were shown to be >99% pure by glial fibrillary acid protein (GFAP) immunostaining.30
Monocytes
Peripheral blood mononuclear cells obtained from HIV- and hepatitis B-seronegative donors by leukopheresis were purified by counter-current centrifugal elutriation.31 Cell suspensions were identified as >98% pure monocytes by Wright staining, nonspecific esterase, granular peroxidase, and CD68 immunostaining. Cells were cultured in Dulbeccos modified Eagles medium supplemented with 10% heat-inactivated pooled human serum, 10 µg/ml ciprofloxacin (Sigma), 50 µg/ml gentamicin (Sigma), and 1000 U/ml of macrophage colony-stimulating factor (a generous gift from Genetics Institute, Boston, MA). All reagents were prescreened and found negative for endotoxin (<10 pg/ml; Associates of Cape Cod, Woods Hole, MA) and mycoplasma contamination (Gen-probe II, Gen-probe, San Diego, CA).
HIV-1 Infection of Microglia and Monocytes
Adherent monocytes and microglia were cultured in 96-well plates at a density of 105 cells/well for 7 days before infection with HIV-1ADA at a multiplicity of infection of 0.1. Monocytes and microglia in suspension were cultured in Teflon flasks at a density of 106 cells/ml for 7 days before viral infection. The cell-free viral inoculum used for each experiment was standardized for all experiments by reverse-transcriptase activity (2 x 105 cpm/106 cells) as described previously.31
Construction of the Three-Dimensional BBB Model
The BBB model was constructed on inserts with collagen-coated polycarbonate in Transwell membrane (pore diameter, 3 µm; Corning-Costar Corp., Cambridge, MA) as described.30 Brain microvascular endothelial cells and human fetal astrocytes were placed, respectively, on the upper and lower surfaces of the membrane. In the constructs, the lower surface was coated with human fibronectin and seeded with 105 astrocytes in an inverted position. After 2 hours to allow cell adherence, the construct was placed upright, and brain microvascular endothelial cells were subsequently inoculated (200 µl of 105 cells) into the upper chamber. These models were used for a minimum of 5 days after cell seeding, when they acquired high electrical resistance and negligible permeability for [3H] inulin.
Human MDM were cultured in Teflon flasks. The MDM (7 x 105) (HIV-1ADA-infected or uninfected controls) were seeded on glass coverslips (Corning Costar, Cambridge, MA) and then placed on the bottoms of wells in 24-well Costar plates. In a similar fashion, 105 microglial cells (HIV-1ADA-infected or uninfected controls) on coverslips were placed in the lower chambers of 24-well plates. The addition of the MDM or microglia to the BBB model permitted analysis of the ability of each macrophage cell type to affect monocyte transendothelial migration.
Transendothelial Migration of Monocytes in the BBB Model
To investigate penetration of fresh-blood-derived monocytes (from virus-negative donors) through the artificial BBB, 105 monocytes were placed in 100 µl of medium in the upper chambers of a 24-well tissue culture insert. At 48 hours, numbers of migrated monocytes were counted on the lower chamber coverslips. Because monocytes express high levels of peroxidase and low levels of acid phosphatase and have distinct morphology,32 monocytes were easily differentiated from MDM or microglia. Cells were counterstained with hematoxylin. A minimum of 20 random fields (objective x20) of each coverslip was analyzed for migrated cells.
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assays (ELISA) for TNF-
and
Chemokines
TNF-
and the CC chemokines MIP-1
, MIP-1ß, MCP-1, and
RANTES were assayed by using the Quantikine ELISA kits (R&D Systems,
Minneapolis, MN) and following the manufacturers instructions. Cells
were stimulated with LPS (1 µg/ml), obtained from Escherichia
coli, serotype 0111:B4 (Sigma), for 2 hours and were washed three
times with media. Conditioned media from unstimulated or LPS-stimulated
cells were collected at 24 hours, and chemokine levels were detected by
ELISA. The levels of chemokines were normalized to cell numbers by
measuring cell viability by the
3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide
(MTT) assay.33
The normalized values of chemokines
per 105
cells were determined. These were
analyzed statistically with the two-tailed Students
t-test. Experiments were repeated four times with cells
derived from four different donors for both MDM and microglia.
LPS-treated cells were used to mimic the immune activation of
macrophages that occur in HAD.13
Astrocytes were cultured
for 7 days as adherent monolayers on 96-well plates. Cells were plated
at a density of 5 x 105
cells/well.
Cultured fluids were obtained from control (uninfected) and
HIV-1-infected MDM or microglia after LPS activation and were placed
onto astrocytes for 2 hours. The cells were subsequently washed three
times with medium. Conditioned medium was collected from the astrocytes
24 hours later, and chemokine levels were detected by ELISA.
| SCID Mouse Model of HIVE |
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Histopathology and Immunohistochemistry
Mouse brain tissue was fixed in 4% phosphate-buffered paraformaldehyde and was paraffin-embedded. Immunohistochemistry was performed on 5-µm paraffin tissue sections. Human MDM/microglia were identified with anti-CD68 KP-1 (1:100; Dako) or antivimentin (1:50; Boehringer Mannheim, Indianapolis, IN) monoclonal antibodies (Abs). Mouse astrocytes were recognized with polyclonal Abs against GFAP (Dako; 1:1000 dilution). Mouse microglia/macrophages were identified with biotinylated Griffonia simplifolica Lectin-Isolectin B4 (Vector Laboratories, Burlingame, CA; 1:100 dilution). Anti-human leukocyte antigen clone CR3/43 (Boehringer Mannheim) and clone LN3 (Accurate Chemicals, New York, NY) at 1:25 and 1:40 dilutions, respectively, and HIV-1 p24 monoclonal Abs (Dako) at a 1:10 dilution were used to detect cellular activation and viral gene products. To detect primary Abs, avidin-biotin immunoperoxidase staining with a Vectastain Elite ABC kit (Vector Laboratories, Burlingame, CA) was used with 3,3'-diaminobenzidine as the chromogen. The sections were counterstained with Mayers hematoxylin.
Brain Autopsy Materials
Brain tissue from 14 HIV-1-infected and 5 control cases (who were
HIV-1 seronegative) were used for neuropathological and
immunohistological assessments. A concise description of clinical
history pertaining to each of the brain samples is shown in Table 1
. Immunohistochemical evaluation of
macrophage infiltration, activation, level of infection, astrogliosis,
and expression of chemokines was performed using monoclonal Abs to
CD68, HAM-56, HLA-DR (CR3/43 and LN-3), GFAP, and HIV-1 p24 on
paraffin-embedded tissue sections with the avidin-biotin
immunoperoxidase Vectastain Elite ABC kit (Vector
Laboratories).30,34
Double immunostainings were performed
for chemokines MIP-1
, MIP-1ß, MCP-1, and RANTES (LeukoSite Inc.,
Cambridge, MA) at a 1:50 to 1:100 dilution, and HAM-56
(macrophages/microglia) or GFAP (astrocytes) on frozen tissue sections
by indirect immunofluorescence as previously
described.29,30
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Intensity of reactive astrocytosis was quantified as area occupied by GFAP-positive astrocytes on serial coronal paraffin sections of brains injected with HIV-1-infected MDM (six animals) or microglia (six animals) for 1 week. Image analysis was performed as previously described34 with a cooled closed-circuit digital (CCD) camera (Photometrics, Tucson, AZ) mounted on a Nikon Microphot-FXA. Digital images were analyzed with the Oncor Image V1.6 (Oncor Inc., Gaithersburg, MD) computer image system. The scanned zone covered 1000 µm medially and laterally from needle track on coronal sections. GFAP-immunostained areas were expressed as a percentage of the total brain area assayed. Differences between means were analyzed with a two-tailed Students t-test.
| Results |
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Because the degree of HAD parallels the numbers of
macrophages,8
we studied the conditions that affect
monocyte entry into the brain. To this end we constructed an artificial
BBB to evaluate monocyte transendothelial migration.30
The
transendothelial passage of monocytes (purified from peripheral blood
leukocytes at the day of each experiment) was assessed after
application of HIV-1-infected/uninfected MDM or microglia to the
astrocyte (brain) side of the BBB model. Monocyte migration was
measured at 48 hours after cell placement in two independent
experiments. Twenty random fields (objective x20) in each coverslip
(experiments performed in duplicate) were assayed for
peroxidase-positive monocytes. Microglia placed in the astrocyte
compartment induced 2- to 3.5-fold greater monocyte migration
across the BBB model (P < 0.004) than replicate
numbers of MDM (Figure 1)
. HIV-1-infected
microglia cells elicited a significant increase in monocyte migration
compared to uninfected microglia (P < 0.013).
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These initial results with our BBB model indicated that microglia
are a major source of secretory factors affecting monocyte migration.
To uncover what these factors might be, we measured chemokine secreted
by MDM or microglia after HIV-1 infection and activation (LPS
stimulation). Culture media from control (unstimulated) or activated
(LPS-stimulated) cells were collected at 24 hours, and chemokine levels
were measured in culture fluids by ELISA. In both cell types (MDM and
microglia), uninfected and HIV-infected cells activated with LPS led to
the highest levels of chemokines and TNF-
.
TNF-
was not observed in MDM conditioned media. Unstimulated
microglia (with or without HIV-1 infection) produced low levels of
TNF-
(<20 pg/105
cells). Cell activation
significantly increased TNF-
secretion by both cell types. However,
activated microglia produced 20-fold more TNF-
than did replicate
numbers of MDM (data not shown). High levels of MCP-1 were found in
infected or uninfected microglia (Figure 2A)
. Activated uninfected or uninfected
microglia produced nearly 13-fold higher levels of MCP-1 than did MDM
(Figure 2A)
. Moreover, microglia produced 10- to 20-fold higher levels
of MIP-1
and MIP-1ß (Figure 2, B and C)
than did replicate
virus-infected or uninfected MDM. LPS activation significantly
increased MIP-1
and MIP-1ß in both MDM and microglia (24- to
60-fold) with microglia producing 2- to 12-fold more than MDM.
Unstimulated MDM and microglia produced 24 and 54
pg/105
cells of RANTES, respectively (Figure 2D)
,
the lowest levels of all chemokines studied. A 7- to 50-fold increase
in RANTES was observed after LPS activation. In all cases, microglia
produced more chemokines on a per-cell basis than did MDM (range of
P values, <0.00010.0068).
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than did supernatants from uninfected cells
similarly activated (Tables 2 and 3)
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To determine the possible proinflammatory and transendothelial
migratory effects of resident brain macrophages in our SCID mouse model
for HIV-1 encephalitis,34
human MDM and microglia
(infected or uninfected) were stereotactically placed into SCID mouse
brains. SCID mice received 15 µl of suspension containing 1.5 x
105
HIV-1-infected or replicate uninfected
microglia or MDM into the basal ganglia (the region of brain tissue
most affected in humans). Mice inoculated with 15 µl of monocyte
culture media served as controls. At 7 days after MDM or microglial
inoculation, neuropathological analyses were performed. Equal numbers
of HIV-infected microglia and monocytes (15 to 30 cells/5-µm section)
were observed in the putamen (Figure 3, A and C)
. Nearly 80% of the MDM or microglia expressed HIV-1 p24
antigen, and up to one-third of the cells were multinucleated (Figure 3, C and D)
. CD68-positive cells were found in the cortex and basal
ganglia around the site of injection. The majority of the microglia
preserved their oval shape, resembling the activated ameboid cells
commonly observed in HIVE. The injected microglia and the MDM were
observed around microvessels, mimicking their distribution in HIVE.
Because Griffonia simplicifolica lectin-isolectin
B4 detects mouse MDM or microglia, we could
assess the numbers of migrating mouse macrophages into brain. An area
of 200 µm around the placement of human cells was examined to
determine numbers of migrating murine monocytes. A pronounced
accumulation of mouse monocytes and microglia was found in and around
the location of virus-infected human microglia (Figure 3F)
. Here,
45.2 ± 3.2 or 28.7 ± 2.5 mouse MDM were found per power
field (x20) in and around injection sites containing HIV-1-infected or
uninfected microglia cells, respectively. This was infrequently
observed in mouse brains with HIV-1-infected MDM (Figure 3E)
.
Significantly lower numbers of mouse MDM were identified by lectin
staining as per replicate brain areas around human virus-infected MDM
(10.7 ± 1.1, P < 0.03 as compared with infected
microglia) or uninfected MDM (5.3 ± 0.6, P <
0.04 as compared with uninfected microglia).
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Relationship between Inflammatory Markers and Neuropathology in HIVE
To analyze the role of microglia in HIV-1 neuropathogenesis, we
evaluated postmortem brain tissue from nine patients with HIVE of
different intensity, five HIV-1-seropositive patients without evidence
of HIVE, and five seronegative individuals (Table 1)
. Neuropathological
features of severe HIVE (cases 1 to 4) included 1) a pronounced
infiltration of CD68-positive MDM into the brain parenchyma (25 to 50
cells/five x10 power fields) (Figure 4A)
, 2) formation of 1 to 2 microglial
nodules composed of ramified and ameboid microglia cells per five 10x
power fields (Figure 4A)
, 3) signs of microglia activation
(increased amount of cytoplasm and few short processes), and 4) diffuse
astrogliosis (see below). Microglia cells with thin long processes were
HIV-1 p24-positive (HIVE cases 1 to 4; Figure 4B
). Most microglia cells
(80 to 90% within nodules or directly outside of them) showed
strong positive immunostaining for HLA-DR in white matter, suggesting
diffuse immune activation in cases of significant HIVE (Figure 4C)
.
Activated microglia cells with few thick processes and round or
elongated bodies were found in gray matter in severe HIVE. Up to 30%
of them expressed HLA-DR. In cases of severe HIVE, HIV-1
p24-positive multinucleated cells had long cell processes, which
suggested that part of fused giant macrophages had arisen from
microglia. They were present around microvessels and within neuropil in
the central white matter of the cerebral hemispheres, thalamus, and
basal ganglia (Figure 4E)
. These multinucleated cells were immune
activated (HLA-DR positive), and their localization corresponded to the
areas of most intensive monocyte infiltration and microglial nodule
formation (Figure 4F)
. Moderate HIVE (cases 5 to 8) was characterized
by expression of HLA-DR on 20 to 70% of microglia in white matter and
<5% in gray matter; frequent multinucleated giant cells; 5 to 25
infiltrating macrophages per five (x10 power) fields, and formation of
1 to 2 microglial nodules/10 to 15 (x10 power) fields.
|
Brain tissue derived from HIV-1-seropositive subjects without HIVE
showed limited pathology (anoxic damage and/or hemorrhage). Case 14
showed signs of CMV encephalitis characterized by amphophilic
intranuclear inclusions (case 14). Macrophage infiltration, p24 antigen
positivity, or multinucleated giant cells were absent. There were no
signs or minimal evidence of immune activation in microglial cells
(apart from focal lesions). Less than 10% of microglial cells
expressed HLA-DR in white matter. Brain tissue derived from control
HIV-negative patients (Table 1)
showed nonspecific changes with
minimal expression of HLA-DR in <10% of microglia located in
white matter.
Evidence for increased chemokine expression in HIVE was shown by
double immunostaining for chemokines and cellular markers in severe
and, to a lesser degree, moderate HIVE. MCP-1 was identified in the
cytoplasm of macrophages and microglial cells in microglial nodules and
individual microglial cells in the neuropil (Figure 5A)
. Astrocytes expressed MCP-1 in the
areas of most prominent macrophage infiltration and microglial nodule
formation (Figure 5C)
. Vascular end feet of astrocytes surrounding
microvessels expressed MCP-1 in HIVE. MIP-1
and, to a lesser
extent, RANTES were expressed in microglia and astrocytes throughout
the white matter and were associated with microglial nodules in HIVE.
Moderate MIP-1ß immunostaining was associated with cytoplasm of
astrocytes around microglial nodules. Brain tissue from HIV-positive
patients without HIVE showed occasional microglial and astrocytic cells
expressing MCP-1 and MIP-1
. Chemokines were not detected in control
(HIV-1 negative) brains (without HIV-1 infection) (Figure 5B,D)
.
In toto, analysis of human brain tissue showed that HIVE was
associated with viral infection, microglial activation, MDM brain
infiltration, astrogliosis, and ß-chemokine expression.
|
| Discussion |
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Despite more than a decade of work exploring how HIV-1 affects the
human brain, the specific role of microglia in HAD remains uncertain.
In other neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimers
disease,35,36
MS,37
stroke,38
and Parkinsons disease, the importance of microglial activation in
the pathogenesis appears more obvious.39
Microglia
activation (demonstrated by HLA-DR immunoreactivity)40-42
and the concomitant secretion of cytokines and chemokines could be
crucial events in HIV-1 neuropathogenesis. Microglial nodules are
detected perivascularly, and in HIVE are associated with perivascular
cuffs of macrophages, suggesting local production of chemokines.
Neuropathological analysis of HIVE brain tissue showed a direct
relationship between microglial HLA-DR expression, the intensity of
macrophage infiltration, and microglial nodule formation (markers of
HIVE severity). The levels of virus infection of ramified microglia
correlated with HLA-DR expression, transition of microglia from
ramified to ameboid morphology, and the formation of microglial
nodules. The severity of HIVE (characterized by HIV-1 infection and
immune activation of microglia) correlated with ß-chemokine
expression and macrophage infiltration. Recently, Sanders et
al28
reported an association between HLA-DR and chemokine
antigen expression. In this report, a prominent astrogliosis was
observed in HIVE, which followed the distribution of microglial nodules
and the numbers of infiltrated macrophages. Such interrelationships
between tissue pathology and macrophage activation support the
importance of glial interplay in HAD pathogenesis. The significance of
macrophage-astrocyte interactions was also confirmed in our experiments
in which fluids from immune-stimulated MDM/microglia elicited a
significant ß-chemokine secretion in astrocytes (Tables 2 and 3)
. The
significance of microglial activation in HIVE was underscored by its
demonstrated relationship to neurological impairments (Table 1)
.
These works explore the regulation of chemokines by immune-stimulated
and virus-infected microglia. Moreover, important secretory differences
in MP function were demonstrated between microglia and MDM. For
example, microglial cells secreted significantly more TNF-
and
ß-chemokines (MIP-1
, MIP-1ß, MCP-1, and RANTES) than equal
numbers of MDM. Immune activation further enhanced chemokine
production. Furthermore, supernatants from HIV-1-infected,
immune-stimulated microglia elicited significant levels of MCP-1 in
astrocytes. The augmented production of MCP-1 by microglia and
astrocytes, as compared with other chemokines, may help to explain the
selective migration of monocytes into brain in HIVE. The functional
importance of microglial and/or astrocyte MCP-1 was confirmed both in
the BBB and SCID mouse models of HIVE. Human microglia (particularly
those HIV-1 infected) enhanced monocyte migration in both model
systems. Moreover, the accumulation of mouse monocytes in brains of
SCID mice injected with virus-infected microglia was accompanied by a
marked astrogliosis reflecting a relationship between monocyte
infiltration and brain injury.
In previous works, attempts to correlate virus-infected microglia with disease progression were inconclusive.8,43-45 MPs were grouped together, as a homogenous cell unit. The production of neurotoxins by microglia and brain macrophages was suggested as a major but indirect pathogenetic factor in HAD.3 Our previous works, however, suggested that both cell types (microglia and macrophages) have unique functions. In this regard, diffuse microglia activation in HAD may explain a paradox: how relatively small numbers of infected perivascular macrophages can produce widespread neurological dysfunction. For example, activation of microglia and diffuse microgliosis were previously shown to correlate with ventricular expansion and neuropathological changes in HAD.15,46,47
The discordance, in select patients, between the level of pathology and
the clinical course of disease may be related to several factors. These
include genetic susceptibilities to dementia in patient subpopulations,
peripheral immune activation, and limitations of autopsy tissue
analyses. The examination of brain tissue at one point in time may not
reflect dynamic events that occur continuously over time. Increased
permeability of the BBB and enhanced access of neurotoxins into the CNS
could explain the discordance between limited brain pathology and the
clinical course in some HAD patients. Indeed, in a patient with severe
HAD, levels of macrophage-secreted neurotoxins (quinolinic acid,
TNF-
, and NO) in the peripheral blood were higher than in
CSF.48
How activated microglia and reactive astrocytes can
affect functional tightness of BBB is currently under investigation in
our laboratories.
It is clear that microglia play an important role in the inflammatory responses associated with nervous system dysfunction during progressive HIV-1 infection and in other neurodegenerative disorders.49 Microglia are the primary cell type to respond to injury in the CNS. Microglial activation in response to a stimulus includes proliferation, recruitment, and differentiation into phagocytic cells. Activated microglia express major histocompatibility complex class I and II antigens and adhesion molecules, and they secrete cytokines, numerous immune-modulatory molecules, and reactive oxygen intermediates. It is these abilities that permit the microglial cell to play a unique role in brain injury and inflammatory responses as well as in the regulation of normal CNS homeostasis.50-54 Understanding the means by which microglial cells produce neurotoxin or neurotrophic activities may certainly prove to be critical for deciphering the neuropathogenic mechanisms in a broad range of neurodegenerative disorders.
MCP-1 was the principal microglia- and astrocyte-secreted chemokine demonstrated in these experimental works. The contribution of MCP-1 to monocyte migration into brain is supported by a number of studies including animal models for brain injury (brain trauma, neuronal damage induced by kainic acid, and cerebral ischemia).37,38 Expression of MCP-1 and other ß-chemokines was found in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, a model for MS.55-57 Furthermore, in MCP-1-transgenic mice, mononuclear cell infiltrates are found in brain parenchyma only at times of maximal chemokine expression.58 MCP-1 is the most potent chemoattractant for monocytes,59 and it is readily seen in the CSF of patients with HAD.22 Thus, the likely importance of MCP-1 production is obvious in HAD pathogenesis.
In recent years, divergent studies on the neuropathogenesis of HAD have
begun to tie together, suggesting a common immune mechanism for this
apparent metabolic encephalopathy. In a patient with severe HAD, highly
active antiretroviral therapy combined with anti-inflammatory treatment
significantly ameliorated the clinical neurological deficit while
markedly diminishing viral load and macrophage-secreted neurotoxins
(quinolinic acid, TNF-
, and NO) in the peripheral blood and
CSF.48
Recently, expression of the chemokine receptor
CXCR4 (a coreceptor for lymphotropic HIV-1 strains) has been found on a
number of brain cells, including neurons, astrocytes, and
microglia.60-62
Astrocyte production of SDF-1 (the ligand
for CXCR4) also attests to the importance of glial activation and
astrocytosis in the HAD pathogenesis.63
Binding of viral
proteins (gp120) and SDF-1 to CXCR4 expressed on neurons could be a
pathway for the neuronal apoptosis, suggesting an additional mechanism
for neurodegeneration developed in HAD and HIVE.63,64
These observations, taken together with those in this report, strongly
support the idea that HAD is a metabolic encephalopathy fueled by viral
replication and immune activation of macrophages and astrocytes. The
heterogeneity in MP secretory functions and their interaction with
other glial cells certainly play important roles in the pathogenesis of
HAD and its associated encephalitis. Certainly, the mechanisms
mediating the recruitment of monocytes into the brain, as demonstrated
in this work, underscore the importance of MP transendothelial
migration for expanding the viral reservoir and for regulating MP
neurotoxic activities in HAD.
| Acknowledgements |
|---|
| Footnotes |
|---|
Supported in part by National Institutes of Health grants R29 AI4240401R29 (to Y. P.), K08 MH0155201A1 (to J. L.), R01HL61951 (to K. S. K.), P01NS3149201, R01NS3423901, R01NS3423902, R01NS3612601, and P01MH5755601, and the University of Nebraska Biotechnology Start Up Funds (to H. E. G.). A. G. and M. S. are Pediatric AIDS Foundation Scholars.
Accepted for publication July 28, 1999.
| References |
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by activated HIV-1-infected monocytes is attenuated by primary human astrocytes. J Immunol 1995, 154:3567-3581[Abstract]
and MIP-1ß in human fetal microglia. J Immunol 1998, 161:1449-1455
mediated by the chemokine receptor CXCR4. Curr Biol 1998, 8:595-598[Medline]
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J. Sun, J. H. Zheng, M. Zhao, S. Lee, and H. Goldstein Increased In Vivo Activation of Microglia and Astrocytes in the Brains of Mice Transgenic for an Infectious R5 Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Provirus and for CD4-Specific Expression of Human Cyclin T1 in Response to Stimulation by Lipopolysaccharides J. Virol., June 1, 2008; 82(11): 5562 - 5572. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
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S. H. Ramirez, D. Heilman, B. Morsey, R. Potula, J. Haorah, and Y. Persidsky Activation of Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor {gamma} (PPAR{gamma}) Suppresses Rho GTPases in Human Brain Microvascular Endothelial Cells and Inhibits Adhesion and Transendothelial Migration of HIV-1 Infected Monocytes |