archives@tulane.edu / The prevalence of HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) has increased in the era of combination anti-retroviral therapy (cART). Despite this and documented neurocognitive impairment, there is a lack of pathology of HIV-encephalitis (HIVE), specifically multi-nucleated giant cells (MNGCs), in children and SIV-encephalitis (SIVE) in rhesus macaques infected pre-, peri-, and post-parturition. In this dissertation, we show that the lack of MNGCs seen is most likely due to innate differences in the blood-brain and blood-CSF barriers, and a robust pro- and anti-inflammatory response in neonatal rhesus macaques. Using a rhesus macaque model of HIV, we examined the plasma viral load, brain tissue viral load, and monocyte turnover, using PCR and flow cytometry, respectively. We also performed immunohistochemistry for monocyte, macrophage, tight junction, and aging markers of the choroid plexus. We sought to create a choroid plexus epithelial cell model to monitor the effects of inflammatory markers and virus on the tight junctions of the blood-CSF barrier in real-time. We demonstrated that neonates do not develop encephalitis, despite comparable viral load and monocyte turnover, previously established correlates of SIV-encephalitis (SIVE). However, we noted that uninfected adult rhesus macaques have an increase in virus susceptible cells in the brain, SIV-infected adults have a leakier blood-brain barrier than infected neonates, and adults with encephalitis have a greater viral burden in brain tissue compared to adults without encephalitis. In the choroid plexus, we discovered that despite the lack of encephalitis, neonates have an increase in monocytes and macrophages of the choroid plexus, indicating a strong immune response. While our choroid plexus epithelial cell model is still in preliminary stages, initial results are promising. Our work indicates a possible viral threshold needed for the development of encephalitis, and that the blood-brain barrier may play a role in this threshold due to lower levels of virus susceptible cells and a tighter blood brain barrier in neonates. In the choroid plexus, the strong pro- and anti-inflammatory macrophage response seen in neonates may offer an extra layer of protection development of SIVE. Our data also indicates that SIV causes a marked decrease in the expression of klotho, the anti-aging hormone that is produced in high levels in the choroid plexus in the brain. This could potentially explain the premature inflammaging phenotype seen in chronic infections. / 1 / Elizabeth Delery
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:TULANE/oai:http://digitallibrary.tulane.edu/:tulane_94533 |
| Date | January 2019 |
| Contributors | Delery, Elizabeth (author), MacLean, Andrew (Thesis advisor), School of Medicine Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program (Degree granting institution) |
| Publisher | Tulane University |
| Source Sets | Tulane University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text |
| Format | electronic, pages: 162 |
| Rights | 12 months, Copyright is in accordance with U.S. Copyright law. |
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