Honokiol hexafluoro confers reversal of neuropathological markers of HIV infection in a murine SCID model.

Cognitive impairment remains a persistent challenge in people living with HIV (PWLH) despite antiretroviral therapy (ART) due to ART's inability to eliminate brain HIV. HIV-induced cognitive dysfunction results from immune dysregulation, ongoing neuroinflammation, and the continuous virus presence, collectively contributing to cognitive deficits. Therefore, adjunctive therapies are needed to reduce cerebral HIV reservoirs, mitigate neuroinflammation, and impede cognitive dysfunction progression. Our study focused on Honokiol, known for its anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties, in an experimental mouse model simulating HIV-induced cognitive dysfunction. Using Honokiol Hexafluoro (HH), a synthetic analogue, we comprehensively evaluated its potential to ameliorate cognitive dysfunction and cerebral pathology in HIV-associated cognitive dysfunction. Our findings showed that HH treatment effectively reversed HIV-induced cognitive dysfunction, concurrently suppressing astrocyte activation, restoring neuronal dendritic arborization, and reducing microglial activation. Furthermore, HH remodeled the metabolic profile of HIV-infected human monocyte-derived macrophages, resulting in decreased activation and the promotion of a quiescent state in vitro.

A Rationale and Approach to the Development of Specific Treatments for HIV Associated Neurocognitive Impairment.

Neurocognitive impairment (NCI) associated with HIV infection of the brain impacts a large proportion of people with HIV (PWH) regardless of antiretroviral therapy (ART). While the number of PWH and severe NCI has dropped considerably with the introduction of ART, the sole use of ART is not sufficient to prevent or arrest NCI in many PWH. As the HIV field continues to investigate cure strategies, adjunctive therapies are greatly needed. HIV imaging, cerebrospinal fluid, and pathological studies point to the presence of continual inflammation, and the presence of HIV RNA, DNA, and proteins in the brain despite ART. Clinical trials exploring potential adjunctive therapeutics for the treatment of HIV NCI over the last few decades have had limited success. Ideally, future research and development of novel compounds need to address both the HIV replication and neuroinflammation associated with HIV infection in the brain. Brain mononuclear phagocytes (MPs) are the primary instigators of inflammation and HIV protein expression; therefore, adjunctive treatments that act on MPs, such as immunomodulating agents, look promising. In this review, we will highlight recent developments of innovative therapies and discuss future approaches for HIV NCI treatment.

Reversing interferon-alpha neurotoxicity in a HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder mouse model.

OBJECTIVE: Increased brain interferon-alpha (IFNα) is associated with neurodegenerative disorders, including HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND). HAND occurs in approximately 50% of individuals with HIV despite combined antiretroviral therapy (cART). Therefore, adjunctive therapies must be developed that prevent progression of mild forms of HAND to HIV-associated dementia. Increased IFNα in the CNS has been associated with HAND in patients and in a HAND mouse model. DESIGN AND METHODS: B18R binds IFNα and ameliorates HAND mouse brain histopathology (HIV encephalitis). The HAND model was used to determine if B18R with cART is superior to cART. Behavioral testing [Object recognition Test (ORT)] was used to show that B18R can reverse behavioral deficits. Rat neuronal cultures were used to investigate mechanisms of IFNα neurotoxicity. RESULTS: Mouse brain immunohistochemistry and densitometry suggests that B18R with a common cART regimen improve histopathological markers better than cART alone. B18R reverses ORT behavioral abnormalities in HAND mice. IFNα-treated rat neurons show decreases in PSD-95, suggesting that dendritic spine architecture is disrupted. Decreases in Arf1, a GTP-binding protein, and AMPA receptors on the surface of rat neurons exposed to IFNα suggest the mechanism of IFNα neurotoxicity may relate to decreased Arf1 resulting in destabilization of dendritic spines, decreased PSD-95 expression, and internalization of AMPA receptors. CONCLUSION: B18R reversal of HAND in the mouse model is further evidence that the treatment of IFNα in individuals with HAND could be a viable adjunctive treatment. Investigating pathways of IFNα neurotoxicity may lead to more specific treatments.

Cerebrospinal fluid interferon alpha levels correlate with neurocognitive impairment in ambulatory HIV-Infected individuals.

HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HANDs) continue to be common and are associated with increased morbidity and mortality. However, the underlying mechanisms in the combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) era are not fully understood. Interferon alpha (IFNα) is an antiviral cytokine found to be elevated in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of individuals with advanced HIV-associated dementia in the pre-cART era. In this cross-sectional study, we investigated the association between IFNα and neurocognitive performance in ambulatory HIV-infected individuals with milder impairment. An eight-test neuropsychological battery representing six cognitive domains was administered. Individual scores were adjusted for demographic characteristics, and a composite neuropsychological score (NPT-8) was calculated. IFNα and CSF neurofilament light chain (NFL) levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). There were 15 chronically infected participants with a history of significant immunocompromise (median nadir CD4+ of 49 cells/µl). Most participants were neurocognitively impaired (mean global deficit score of 0.86). CSF IFNα negatively correlated with three individual tests (Trailmaking A, Trailmaking B, and Stroop Color-Word) as well as the composite NPT-8 score (r = -0.67, p = 0.006). These negative correlations persisted in multivariable analyses adjusting for chronic hepatitis B and C. Additionally, CSF IFNα correlated strongly with CSF NFL, a marker of neuronal damage (rho = 0.748, p = 0.0013). These results extend findings from individuals with severe HIV-associated dementia in the pre-cART era and suggest that IFNα may continue to play a role in HAND pathogenesis during the cART era. Further investigation into the role of IFNα is indicated.

Combined antiretroviral therapy reduces brain viral load and pathological features of HIV encephalitis in a mouse model.

The role of brain HIV load in the pathogenesis of HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) is unclear. To try and determine if the amount of HIV drives the severity of pathology, a severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) mouse model of HIV encephalitis (HIVE) was utilized to determine the effectiveness of a systemically administered combined antiretroviral (cART) regimen. SCID mice were inoculated intracerebrally with HIV-infected or uninfected (control) human macrophages and treated subcutaneously with cART or saline for 10 days. Immunohistochemistry was then used to examine gliosis and neuronal damage. Drug levels were measured in brain and plasma using high-performance liquid chromatography. Peak plasma and brain levels of atazanavir, tenofovir, and emtricitabine were determined to be 1 h post-injection of cART therapy. cART significantly reduced neuropathological features of HIVE, including astrogliosis and the presence of mononuclear phagocytes, and ameliorated reduced MAP2 (neuronal integrity) staining. However, cART did not eradicate HIV from the brain. Using this animal model of HIVE, these data indicate effective penetration of cART reduces brain viral loads and HIV pathology, possibly by eliminating the production of HIV proteins, virus infected cells, or both. Importantly, these data suggest that viral load directly affects the extent of pathology seen in the brain, particularly neuronal damage, which implies that more effective suppression of HIV in the CNS could reduce currently highly prevalent forms of HAND. However, these data also strongly suggest that cART will not eliminate HIV from the brain and that adjunctive therapies must be developed.

Macrophages play a key role in early blood brain barrier reformation after hypothermic brain injury.

The inflammatory response following traumatic injury to the central nervous system (CNS) includes the infiltration of large numbers of macrophages. This response has been implicated in both ongoing tissue damage as well as recovery following CNS injury. We investigated the role of invading macrophages on one important aspect of tissue repair in the brain, the reformation of the blood brain barrier (BBB). We used liposomal clodronate to deplete monocytes and tissue macrophages. This method led to a marked reduction in the accumulation of F4/80-expressing cells at sites of hypothermic brain injury in a murine model. The integrity of the blood brain barrier over time following injury was assessed by permeability of fluorescent labeled albumin. The reduction in macrophages at the injury site was accompanied by a delay in early reformation of the blood brain barrier. In control animals the permeability of the BBB to FITC-labeled albumin returned to normal levels by seven days post-injury. In macrophage-depleted mice leakage of albumin was still observed at seven days post-injury. These results suggest that macrophages play an important role in early post-traumatic reformation of the BBB.

Characterization of folate uptake by choroid plexus epithelial cells in a rat primary culture model.

Reduced derivatives of folic acid (folates) play a critical role in the development, function and repair of the CNS. However, the molecular systems regulating folate uptake and homeostasis in the central nervous system remain incompletely defined. Choroid plexus epithelial cells express high levels of folate receptor alpha (FRalpha) suggesting that the choroid plays an important role in CNS folate trafficking and maintenance of CSF folate levels. We have characterized 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (5-MTHF) uptake and metabolism by primary rat choroid plexus epithelial cells in vitro. Two distinct processes are apparent; one that is FRalpha dependent and one that is independent of the receptor. FRalpha binds 5-MTHF with high affinity and facilitates efficient uptake of 5-MTHF at low extracellular folate concentrations; a lower affinity FRalpha independent system accounts for increased folate uptake at higher concentrations. Cellular metabolism of 5-MTHF depends on the route of folate entry into the cell. 5-MTHF taken up via a non-FRalpha -mediated process is rapidly metabolized to folylpolyglutamates, whereas 5-MTHF that accumulates via FRalpha remains non-metabolized, supporting the hypothesis that FRalpha may be part of a pathway for transcellular movement of the vitamin. The proton-coupled folate transporter, proton-coupled folate transporter (PCFT), mRNA was also shown to be expressed in choroid plexus epithelial cells. This is consistent with the role we have proposed for proton-coupled folate transporter in FRalpha-mediated transport as the mechanism of export of folates from the endocytic compartment containing FRalpha.

Differential gene expression associated with migration of mesenchymal stem cells to conditioned medium from tumor cells or bone marrow cells.

Distinct signals that guide migration of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to specific in vivo targets remain unknown. We have used rat MSCs to investigate the molecular mechanisms involved in such migration. Rat MSCs were shown to migrate to tumor microenvironment in vivo, and an in vitro migration assay was used under defined conditions to permit further mechanistic investigations. We hypothesized that distinct molecular signals are involved in the homing of MSCs to tumor sites and bone marrow. To test this hypothesis, gene expression profiles of MSCs exposed in vitro to conditioned medium (CM) from either tumor cells or bone marrow were compared. Analysis of the microarray gene expression data revealed that 104 transcripts were upregulated in rat MSCs exposed to CM from C85 human colorectal cancer cells for 24 hours versus control medium. A subset of 12 transcripts were found to be upregulated in rat MSCs that were exposed to tumor cell CM but downregulated when MSCs were exposed to bone marrow CM and included CXCL-12 (stromal cell-derived factor-1 [SDF-1]), CXCL-2, CINC-2, endothelial cell specific molecule-1, fibroblast growth factor-7, nuclear factor-kappaB p105, and thrombomodulin. Exposure to tumor cell CM enhanced migration of MSCs and correlated with increased SDF-1 protein production. Moreover, knockdown of SDF-1 expression in MSCs inhibited migration of these cells to CM from tumor cells, but not bone marrow cells, confirming the importance of SDF-1 expression by MSCs in this differential migration. These results suggest that increased SDF-1 production by MSCs acts in an autocrine manner and is required for migratory responses to tumor cells.

Monocytes form a vascular barrier and participate in vessel repair after brain injury.

Subpopulations of bone marrow-derived cells can be induced to assume a number of endothelial properties in vitro. However, their ability to form a functional vascular barrier has not been demonstrated. We report that human CD14+ peripheral blood monocytes cultured under angiogenic conditions develop a number of phenotypic and functional properties similar to brain microvascular endothelial cells. These cells express the tight junction proteins zonula occludens 1 (ZO-1) and occludin and form a barrier with a transcellular electrical resistance (TCER) greater than 100 ohm cm2 and low permeability to 4 kDa and 20 kDa dextrans. The TCER of the cellular barrier is decreased by bradykinin and histamine. We also demonstrate that these cells associate with repairing vasculature in areas of brain and skin injury. Our data suggest that CD14+ peripheral blood monocytes participate in the repair of the vascular barrier after brain injury.

Subchronic continuous phencyclidine administration potentiates amphetamine-induced frontal cortex dopamine release.

Functional dopaminergic hyperactivity is a key feature of schizophrenia. Etiology of this dopaminergic hyperactivity, however, is unknown. We have recently demonstrated that subchronic phencyclidine (PCP) treatment in rodents induces striatal dopaminergic hyperactivity similar to that observed in schizophrenia. The present study investigates the ability of PCP to potentiate amphetamine-induced dopamine release in prefrontal cortex (PFC) and nucleus accumbens (NAc) shell. Prefrontal dopaminergic hyperactivity is postulated to underlie cognitive dysfunction in schizophrenia. In contrast, the degree of NAc involvement is unknown and recent studies have suggested that PCP-induced hyperactivity in rodents may correlate with PFC, rather than NAc, dopamine levels. Rats were treated with 5-20 mg/kg/day PCP for 3-14 days by osmotic minipump. PFC and NAc dopamine release to amphetamine challenge (1 mg/kg) was monitored by in vivo microdialysis and HPLC-EC. Doses of 10 mg/kg/day and above produced serum PCP concentrations (50-150 ng/ml) most associated with PCP psychosis in humans. PCP-treated rats showed significant, dose-dependent enhancement in amphetamine-induced dopamine release in PFC but not NAc, along with significantly enhanced locomotor activity. Enhanced response was observed following 3-day, as well as 14-day, treatment and resolved within 4 days of PCP treatment withdrawal. These findings support the concept that endogenous NMDA receptor dysfunction could account for the pattern of dopaminergic dysfunction observed in schizophrenia, and suggest that even short duration abuse of PCP-like agents may greatly potentiate behavioral effects of psychostimulants in drug abuse situations. Finally, these studies provide a model system in which to evaluate effects of potential psychotherapeutic agents.