Circulatory Astrocyte and Neuronal EVs as Potential Biomarkers of Neurological Dysfunction in HIV-Infected Subjects and Alcohol/Tobacco Users.

ABSTRACT: The diagnosis of neurocognitive disorders associated with HIV infection, alcohol, and tobacco using CSF or neuroimaging are invasive or expensive methods, respectively. Therefore, extracellular vesicles (EVs) can serve as reliable noninvasive markers due to their bidirectional transport of cargo from the brain to the systemic circulation. Hence, our objective was to investigate the expression of astrocytic (GFAP) and neuronal (L1CAM) specific proteins in EVs circulated in the plasma of HIV subjects, with and without a history of alcohol consumption and tobacco smoking. The protein expression of GFAP (p < 0.01) was significantly enhanced in plasma EVs obtained from HIV-positive subjects and alcohol users compared to healthy subjects, suggesting enhanced activation of astrocytes in those sub

SUBMITTER: Kodidela S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7345258 | biostudies-literature | 2020 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature