A rat model of human immunodeficiency virus 1 encephalopathy using envelope glycoprotein gp120 expression delivered by SV40 vectors.

ABSTRACT: Human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) encephalopathy is thought to result in part from the toxicity of HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein gp120 for neurons. Experimental systems for studying the effects of gp120 and other HIV proteins on the brain have been limited to the acute effects of recombinant proteins in vitro or in vivo in simian immunodeficiency virus-infected monkeys. We describe an experimental rodent model of ongoing gp120-induced neurotoxicity in which HIV-1 envelope is expressed in the brain using an SV40-derived gene delivery vector, SV(gp120). When it is inoculated stereotaxically into the rat caudate putamen, SV(gp120) caused a partly hemorrhagic lesion in which neuron and other cell apoptosis continues for at least 12 weeks. Human immunodeficiency virus gp120 is expressed thro

SUBMITTER: Louboutin JP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4711345 | biostudies-literature | 2009 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature