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Chemokine receptors and neurotrophic factors: Potential therapy against aids dementia?
Author(s) -
Mocchetti Italo,
Bachis Alessia,
Masliah Eliezer
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
journal of neuroscience research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.72
H-Index - 160
eISSN - 1097-4547
pISSN - 0360-4012
DOI - 10.1002/jnr.21492
Subject(s) - chemokine receptor , chemokine , neuroprotection , neuroscience , neurotrophic factors , receptor , dementia , biology , cxcr4 , immunology , neurotrophin , medicine , inflammation , disease , biochemistry
Chemokine receptors, in particular, CXCR4 and CCR5, mediate human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV‐1) infection of immunocompetent cells and the apoptosis of these cells. However, the virus does not infect neurons. Yet through a variety of mechanisms, HIV promotes glial cell activation, synaptodendritic alterations, and neuronal loss that ultimately lead to motor and cognitive impairment. Chemokines and chemokine receptors are abundant in the adult central nervous system and play a role in neuronal apoptosis evoked by HIV proteins. Thus, reducing the availability of chemokine receptors may prevent the neuronal degeneration seen in HIV‐positive patients. In this article, we present and discuss a recent experimental approach aimed at testing effective neuroprotective therapies against HIV‐mediated neuronal degeneration. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.