While treatment has greatly improved the condition of those with HIV infection, central nervous system dysfunction persists in a subset of HIV infected individuals. The proximal mechanism of neuronal damage, dysfunction, and death is not known. We have carried out analyses of many aspects of HIV (and the nonhuman primate SIV) induced damage to the brain. In this work, we discovered that a recently recognized system in acting in neuronal protection, known as autophagy, is inhibited in the HIV/SIV infected brain. We hypothesize this leads to enhanced susceptibility of neurons to damage and the resulting untoward consequences of brain dysfunction. Our long-term objective remains the same, to understand the mechanism leading to this dysfunction. In this renewal application we will focus on the role of alteration in neuronal autophagy in CNS damage resulting from HIV infection. This will be accomplished in three specific aims. First, molecules involved in the viral-host interaction in the brain that occurs in HIV infection will be assessed for effects on neuronal autophagy, using confocal imaging and molecular analysis. Second, we hypothesize that the inhibition of neuronal autophagy leads to the accumulation of specific proteins in neurons that can contribute to damage. These will be uncovered through quantitative proteomics and stringent validation. Third, we will relate these discoveries to the clinical condition by examining brain tissue molecularly and histopathologically for the presence of the molecules uncovered in the first two aspects. The study of neuronal autophagy will lead to a better understanding of the mechanisms of neuronal damage in HIV brain infection, as well as lead to ways to prevent or treat this condition.

Public Health Relevance

While treatment for HIV infection has improved, infected individual still suffer the consequence of damage to targets for viral infection, including the brain. The way in which HIV injures the brain is not clear, and in the proposed experiments HIV-induced dysfunction of a prime protective pathway will be examined. Techniques to prevent or reverse this dysfunction could be useful in preventing or treating this devastating condition.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01MH073490-10
Application #
8442888
Study Section
NeuroAIDS and other End-Organ Diseases Study Section (NAED)
Program Officer
Joseph, Jeymohan
Project Start
2005-02-10
Project End
2015-03-31
Budget Start
2013-04-01
Budget End
2014-03-31
Support Year
10
Fiscal Year
2013
Total Cost
$335,194
Indirect Cost
$109,474
Name
University of Nebraska Medical Center
Department
Pharmacology
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
168559177
City
Omaha
State
NE
Country
United States
Zip Code
68198
Villeneuve, Lance M; Purnell, Phillip R; Stauch, Kelly L et al. (2016) HIV-1 transgenic rats display mitochondrial abnormalities consistent with abnormal energy generation and distribution. J Neurovirol 22:564-574
Villeneuve, Lance M; Purnell, Phillip R; Boska, Michael D et al. (2016) Early Expression of Parkinson's Disease-Related Mitochondrial Abnormalities in PINK1 Knockout Rats. Mol Neurobiol 53:171-186
Marcondes, Maria Cecilia G; Morsey, Brenda; Emanuel, Katy et al. (2015) CD8+ T cells maintain suppression of simian immunodeficiency virus in the central nervous system. J Infect Dis 211:40-4
Stauch, Kelly L; Purnell, Phillip R; Villeneuve, Lance M et al. (2015) Proteomic analysis and functional characterization of mouse brain mitochondria during aging reveal alterations in energy metabolism. Proteomics 15:1574-86
Yelamanchili, Sowmya V; Lamberty, Benjamin G; Rennard, Deborah A et al. (2015) MiR-21 in Extracellular Vesicles Leads to Neurotoxicity via TLR7 Signaling in SIV Neurological Disease. PLoS Pathog 11:e1005032
Marcondes, Maria Cecilia Garibaldi; Ojakian, Ryan; Bortell, Nikki et al. (2014) Osteopontin expression in the brain triggers localized inflammation and cell death when immune cells are activated by pertussis toxin. Mediators Inflamm 2014:358218
Sabouri, Amir H; Marcondes, Maria Cecilia Garibaldi; Flynn, Claudia et al. (2014) TLR signaling controls lethal encephalitis in WNV-infected brain. Brain Res 1574:84-95
Purnell, Phillip R; Fox, Howard S (2014) Efavirenz induces neuronal autophagy and mitochondrial alterations. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 351:250-8
Villeneuve, Lance M; Stauch, Kelly L; Fox, Howard S (2014) Proteomic analysis of the mitochondria from embryonic and postnatal rat brains reveals response to developmental changes in energy demands. J Proteomics 109:228-39
Stauch, Kelly L; Purnell, Phillip R; Fox, Howard S (2014) Quantitative proteomics of synaptic and nonsynaptic mitochondria: insights for synaptic mitochondrial vulnerability. J Proteome Res 13:2620-36

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