Kerr SJ, Armati PJ, Pemberton LA, Brew BJ.
J Neurovirol. 1998 Jun 3-6; 4: 355.
Centre for Immunology, St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney, Australia.
Neurotoxic factors released from macrophages and microglia are believed to play a central role in mediating neuronal damage in the AIDS dementia complex (ADC). A toxin involved in ADC pathogenesis should ideally fulfil a number of criteria. These criteria are production by macrophages and microglia in response to HIV-1-infection or cytokine induction, the presence of the toxin in the central nervous system (CNS) in sufficient concentrations to be neurotoxic, stability in biological fluids and diffusible throughout the CNS. In addition, the mechanism of action should explain the regional distribution of pathology. Also, individual variation in neurotoxin production should explain why some individuals develop ADC while others do not. Quinolinic acid (QUIN) unlike the other posited ADC neurotoxins fulfils all of these criteria. This paper therefore presents an integrative model for the involvement of QUIN in the pathogenesis of ADC based on our studies of QUIN production by macrophages, and QUIN toxicity in human brain cultures.
Publication Types:
Keywords:
- AIDS Dementia Complex
- Brain
- Cytokines
- HIV Infections
- Humans
- Macrophages
- Microglia
- Models, Biological
- Neurons
- Neurosciences
- Neurotoxins
- Quinolinic Acid
Other ID:
UI: 102237423
From Meeting Abstracts