This proposal is for multidisciplinary AIDS-Encephalopathy program project. It will focus on the immunological and molecular aspects of the AIDS- Dementia Complex. The project will involve investigators from the departments of Neurology, Medicine, Pediatrics, Pathology, and Microbiology at USC and the Childrens Hospital of Los Angeles. The 5 projects and 2 supporting Cores of morphologic assessment and modern immunological and molecular biological methodology to study AIDS-Dementia. Project 1 will study the role of the T lymphocyte in CNS HIV infection. Project 2 is a study of the molecular basis of HIV-1 gene control and examine HIV-1 tat gene expression in the developing nervous system of transgenic animals. Project 3 will study protein biosynthesis in different cell types which may be involved in AIDS-dementia. Project 4 will be focused on designing novel protein molecules to be used as vaccines to prevent and combat asymptomatic CNS infections. Project 5 will the use of retroviral vectors to express HIV antisense RNA in the CNS marrow transplantation delivery of stem cells. The Support and Pathology Core; in addition to its regular functions, will contain an HIV-1 Safety and Inactivation Committee. The Microchemical Core will provide unique peptides and sequencing. In summary, this program will apply modern techniques to the study of the pathogenesis of the AIDS-Dementia Complex.
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