cellular senescence chronic infection HAND microglia dysfunction
Microglia support productive human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV‐1) infection and disturbed microglial function could contribute to the development of HIV‐associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND). Better understanding of how HIV‐1 infection and viral protein exposure modulate microglial function during the course of infection could lead to the identification of novel therapeutic targets for both the eradication of HIV‐1 reservoir and treatment of neurocognitive deficits. This review first describes microglial origins and function in the normal central nervous system (CNS), and the changes that occur during aging. We then critically discuss how HIV‐1 infection and exposure to viral proteins such as Tat and gp120 affect various aspects of microglial homeostasis including activation, cellular metabolism and cell cycle regulation, through pathways implicated in cellular stress responses including p38 mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK) and nuclear factor κB (NF‐κB). We thus propose that the functions of human microglia evolve during both healthy and pathological aging. Aging‐associated dysfunction of microglia comprises phenotypes resembling cellular senescence, which could contribute to cognitive impairments observed in various neurodegenerative diseases. In addition, microglia seems to develop characteristics that could be related to cellular senescence post‐HIV‐1 infection and after exposure to HIV‐1 viral proteins. However, despite its potential role as a component of HAND and likely other neurocognitive disorders, microglia senescence has not been well characterized and should be the focus of future studies, which could have high translational relevance. GLIA 2017;65:431–446
Main Points
HIV‐1 infection and viral proteins increase microglia expression of activation markers and cell cycle inhibitors, and alter cellular metabolism.
Some of these phenotypes resemble cellular senescence.
Microglia senescence may thus contribute to HAND.
Fate of microglia during HIV‐1 infection: From activation to senescence?
Creators
Natalie C. Chen - Drexel University
Andrea T. Partridge - Drexel University
Christian Sell - Drexel University
Claudio Torres - Drexel University
Julio Martín‐García - Center for Molecular Virology and Translational Neuroscience, Institute for Molecular Medicine and Infectious Disease, Drexel University College of Medicine
Publication Details
Glia, v 65(3), pp 431-446
Publisher
Wiley
Number of pages
16
Grant note
The Aging Initiative at Drexel University College of Medicine
Public Health Service Grants (NS065727)
NIAID/NIH (AG046943)
NIMH/NIH T32
NIA/NIH (NS078283)
Interdisciplinary and Translational Research Training in NeuroAIDS
NINDS/NIH (AI098549)
Resource Type
Journal article
Language
English
Academic Unit
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; Microbiology and Immunology; Neurobiology and Anatomy
Web of Science ID
WOS:000397106500001
Scopus ID
2-s2.0-85002613579
Other Identifier
991019168670204721
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Web of Science research areas
Neurosciences
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