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Biomedical subjects

C A Wiley

Publications and source records attributed to C A Wiley.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Sources of the neurotoxin quinolinic acid in the brain of HIV-1-infected patients and retrovirus-infected macaques.

This study investigated the sources of quinolinic acid, a neurotoxic tryptophan-kynurenine pathway metabolite, in the brain and blood of HIV-infected patients and retrovirus-infected macaques. In brain, quinolinic acid concentrations in HIV-infected patients were elevated by > 300-fold to concentrations that exceeded cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) by 8.9-fold. There were no significant correlations between elevated serum quinolinic acid levels with those in CSF and brain parenchyma. Because nonretrovirus-induced encephalitis confounds the interpretation of human postmortem data, rhesus macaques infected with retrovirus were used to examine the mechanisms of increased quinolinic acid accumulations and determine the relationships of quinolinic acid to encephalitits and systemic responses. The largest kynurenine pathway responses in brain were associated with encephalitis and were independent of systemic responses. CSF quinolinic acid levels were also elevated in all infected macaques, but particularly those with retrovirus-induced encephalitis. In contrast to the brain changes, there was no difference in any systemic measure between macaques with encephalitis vs. those without. Direct measures of the amount of quinolinic acid in brain derived from blood in a macaque with encephalitis showed that almost all quinolinic acid (>98%) was synthesized locally within the brain. These results demonstrate a role for induction of indoleamine-2,3dioxygenase in accelerating the local formation of quinolinic acid within the brain tissue, particularly in areas of encephalitis, rather than entry of quinolinic acid into the brain from the meninges or blood. Strategies to reduce QUIN production, targeted at intracerebral sites, are potential approaches to therapy.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

Distribution of brain HIV load in AIDS.

Approximately one quarter of patients with AIDS develop severe cognitive deficits called HIV-associated dementia complex (ADC). There is some controversy regarding the importance of viral load in mediating neurologic disease. With the advent of sensitive, quantitative and reproducible RNA assays for HIV load in plasma and CSF, we quantified viral load in brains from 10 autopsied HIV-infected subjects and 2 non-infected controls. The new quantitative HIV RNA assays showed general agreement with previously used semi-quantitative immunocytochemical assessments of HIV envelope protein, and were performed without professional subjective interpretation. All cases with very high levels of HIV in the CSF, had high overall levels in the brain, suggesting that CSF viral loads exceeding 10(6) copies per mL may be a surrogate marker of high viral load in the brain. Levels of virus in the spleen showed no clear association with those found in the brain. HIV RNA was not uniformly distributed throughout the brain. Selective regions, including basal ganglia and hippocampus, showed higher levels of virus than the cerebellar cortex and mid-frontal cortical gray matter. Assessment of overall brain viral load requires careful attention to regional quantitation.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

Confocal microscopy assessment of lymphoid tissues with follicular hyperplasia from patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1.

OBJECTIVE: To characterize human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection of lymphoid tissues during follicular hyperplasia. METHODS: We examined 10 tonsil/adenoid, 3 parotid lymphoepithelial cyst, and 7 lymph node specimens that had been surgically removed from 13 patients infected with HIV-1. Characteristics of productive HIV-1 infection were assessed using immunocytochemistry for HIV-1 p24. Cellular colocalization was determined with the aid of a confocal microscope using double immunofluorescent staining for HIV-1 p24 and cell-specific markers. RESULTS: All specimens showed follicular hyperplasia. Using confocal microscopy with three-dimensional reconstruction, HIV-1 p24 was seen to be "intimately" colocalized with CD21 within the germinal centers. While lymphoid follicles were generally hyperplastic, only a subset of these follicles contained HIV-1 p24. Occasional HIV-1-expressing mononuclear cells identified outside follicles stained for CD68 or CD3. CONCLUSIONS: The differential involvement of hyperplastic follicles by HIV-1 within individual lymphoid tissues and the intimate colocalization of HIV-1 p24 and CD21 suggest that infected follicular dendritic cells may be an important reservoir of HIV-1 during follicular hyperplasia.

Adult↗

Expression of HGF and cMet in the developing and adult brain.

Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) was recently recognized as a potential neurotrophic factor in the developing brain. We studied expression of HGF and its receptor using Northern blot analysis and in situ hybridization for mRNA and double immunofluorescent laser confocal microscopy. HGF and cMet messages were abundant in the hippocampus of both human and rat brains. In this region, both messages were localized in the neuronal layer. Segregation of HGF predominantly in the hippocampal CA3-4 and cMet in CA1 supports the hypothesis that HGF may mediate important neurotrophic functions in both developing and adult brains.

Animals↗

Dendritic injury is a pathological substrate for human immunodeficiency virus-related cognitive disorders. HNRC Group. The HIV Neurobehavioral Research Center.

To determine the neuropathological substrate of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-associated neurocognitive disorders, we examined persons with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome before their death and related their antemortem neuropsychological performance to postmortem indicators of HIV encephalitis, viral burden, and presynaptic and postsynaptic neuronal injury. Of 20 prospectively examined cases, 9 were neurocognitively normal, 5 showed neuropsychological impairment, 5 had minor cognitive/motor disorder, and 1 was demented. Degree of neurocognitive impairment was strongly related to the amount of dendritic simplification based on microtubule-associated protein 2 immunohistochemical staining, somewhat less so to a semiquantitative viral burden score based on numbers of HIV gp41-immunoreactive cells, and much less so to the presence of multinucleated giant cells or microglial nodules. It appears that even milder neurocognitive impairment reflects microneuroanatomical injury to synaptic structures.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗

An animal model for cidofovir (HPMPC) toxicity: intraocular pressure and histopathologic effects.

Intravitreal cidofovir has been shown to be a long acting and highly efficacious treatment for CMV retinitis; however decrease in IOP is an adverse effect. We wanted to determine the effect of cidofovir on intraocular pressure (IOP) in the guinea pig, and rabbit eye to develop an animal model of cidofovir induced ocular hypotony and to study the histopathology of this toxicity. Twenty-eight guinea pig eyes were injected with cidofovir yielding final intravitreal concentrations of 25, 200, 625 and 2000 micrograms ml-1. Eighteen eyes of pigmented rabbits were injected with cidofovir yielding final intravitreal concentrations of 625 and 2000 micrograms ml-1. A carefully calibrated low volume displacement manometer system using a micro-transducer was used to determine the IOP measurements in the guinea pig and rabbit eyes. Histology was evaluated using light and electron microscopy. Injection of 6.25 micrograms of cidofovir intravitreally (vitreous concentration of 25 micrograms ml-1) is the highest non-toxic dose in the guinea pig; the IOP was unchanged at two and four weeks after injection with this dose; histologically the eyes were normal. A single injection of 50 micrograms of cidofovir intravitreally (vitreous concentration of 200 micrograms ml-1) caused a long lasting (9.3 mmHg) decrease in IOP (approximately 50% of baseline). At this dose there were only mild and variable histologic changes in the ciliary body and the retina. Higher doses of 156.25 micrograms and 500 micrograms of cidofovir (vitreous concentrations of 625, and 2000 micrograms ml-1, respectively) caused moderate to severe ciliary body and retinal changes. In rabbit eyes there was a mild but statistically insignificant pressure drop with doses of 875 micrograms cidofovir intravitreally (vitreous concentration of 625 micrograms ml-1); retina was within normal limits after injection with this dose, there were mild changes in the ciliary body. There was a total destruction of ciliary body and loss of nonpigmented epithelial cells with injections of 2800 micrograms of cidofovir intravitreally (vitreous concentration of 2000 micrograms ml-1): retina was relatively well preserved. The guinea pig eye shows similar reduction in IOP and ciliary body changes as are seen in the human eye after intravitreal cidofovir and also appears to have a similar dose-response curve. However, the reduction of IOP caused by cidofovir occurs in the guinea pig eye at a concentration 40 times higher than was observed in the human eye.

Animals↗

Adverse events and autopsy findings after intravitreous cidofovir (HPMPC) therapy in patients with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS).

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the study is to evaluate the adverse events and autopsy findings in a series of consecutive 20-microg intravitreous cidofovir injections at a single institution. DESIGN: The study design was a nonrandomized, consecutive case series. PARTICIPANTS: Seventy-six patients with acquired immune deficiency syndrome with cytomegalovirus retinitis were studied prospectively. Sixty-three patients had 1 month's follow-up or longer, and this comprised the study group. In addition, histopathologic findings from 18 eyes of 9 patients were studied at autopsy. INTERVENTION: A total of 296 injections of 20 microg cidofovir were given in 115 eyes. Sixty-three patients who had 246 injections in 93 eyes had 1 month's follow-up or longer for the evaluation of adverse events. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Postinjection chronic hypotony associated with permanent visual loss, transient hypotony, iritis, and its long-term sequela (posterior synechia and cataract, retinal detachment, extraocular cytomegalovirus involvement) were the outcomes of interest in this study. Additionally, light and electron microscopic studies of human eyes were performed. RESULTS: The most severe adverse event was postinjection chronic hypotony. This phenomenon was associated with permanent visual loss. This was observed in 1% of the injections and 3% of the eyes of the patients (95% confidence interval, 0%-6%). Transient hypotony associated with mild-to-moderate visual loss developed in 14%, but vision recovered to baseline levels in these eyes subsequently. Analysis showed that transient hypotony in the injected eye could predict postinjection chronic hypotony in the fellow eye (two-tailed Fisher's exact test, P = 0.02). The incidence of iritis was 32%; posterior synechia and cataract were the long-term sequela of the iritis and developed in 19% and 11% of the eyes, respectively. The incidence of retinal detachment was lower (6%). Histopathologic evaluation of the eyes showed mild-to-moderate atrophy of the nonpigmented epithelium of the ciliary body and no other evidence of intraocular toxicity. CONCLUSIONS: The most serious adverse event was postinjection chronic hypotony, which occurred in 3% of eyes. Episodes of transient hypotony appear to indicate that the fellow eye was predisposed to chronic hypotony. Therefore, it may be prudent to give intravitreous injections at least 2 weeks apart in the fellow eye to evaluate the clinical response of the injected eye.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗

Evaluation of retinal toxicity and efficacy of anti-cytomegalovirus and anti-herpes simplex virus antiviral phosphorothioate oligonucleotides ISIS 2922 and ISIS 4015.

Retinal toxicity of ISIS 2922 and ISIS 4015, phosphorothioate oligonucleotides complementary to human cytomegalovirus (CMV) and herpes simplex virus (HSV) RNA, were evaluated. The intravitreal concentration of ISIS 2922 found not to cause permanent toxic changes in the rabbit retina was 10 microM and in the pig retina, 5 microM. The 3 microM concentration was associated with a transient inflammatory response, and 1 microM caused no retinal toxicity or inflammation. ISIS 4015 showed very mild toxicity with no permanent retinal changes and very mild inflammation at doses of 10 microM; this dose was effective in ameliorating or preventing HSV-1 retinitis when injected 1 day and 1 week prior to virus inoculation. These oligonucleotides have a low intraocular therapeutic index. Attempts to improve the therapeutic index of these compounds are indicated. Only a clinical trial can determine the toxicity profile of ISIS 2922 for the treatment of CMV retinitis.

Animals↗

Human microglia convert l-tryptophan into the neurotoxin quinolinic acid.

Immune activation leads to accumulations of the neurotoxin and kynurenine pathway metabolite quinolinic acid within the central nervous system of human patients. Whereas macrophages can convert L-tryptophan to quinolinic acid, it is not known whether human brain microglia can synthesize quinolinic acid. Human microglia, peripheral blood macrophages and cultures of human fetal brain cells (astrocytes and neurons) were incubated with [13C6]L-tryptophan in the absence or presence of interferon gamma. [13C6]Quinolinic acid was identified and quantified by gas chromatography and electron-capture negative-chemical ionization mass spectrometry. Both L-kynurenine and [13C6]quinolinic acid were produced by unstimulated cultures of microglia and macrophages. Interferon gamma, an inducer of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase, increased the accumulation of L-kynurenine by all three cell types (to more than 40 microM). Whereas large quantities of [13C6]quinolinic acid were produced by microglia and macrophages (to 438 and 1410 nM respectively), minute quantities of [13C6]quinolinic acid were produced in human fetal brain cultures (not more than 2 nM). Activated microglia and macrophage infiltrates into the brain might be an important source of accelerated conversion of L-tryptophan into quinolinic acid within the central nervous system in inflammatory diseases.

Astrocytes↗

Pathogenic and protective correlates of T cell proliferation in AIDS. HNRC Group. HIV Neurobehavioral Research Center.

To investigate the association of antigen specific CD4 T cell activation with HIV disease progression and AIDS-related central nervous system damage, T cell proliferation responses to HIV, CMV, and HSV were evaluated in infected individuals. CD4 T cell loss and neurocognitive impairment were assessed at 6-mo intervals. Individuals with known times of seroconversion who responded to more HIV peptides were at greater risk of progressing to < 200 CD4 T cells (P = 0.04) and dying (P = 0.03) than those with responses to fewer peptides. A positive correlation (0.52) was seen between the breadth of the HIV proliferation response and HIV plasma RNA levels. Higher proliferation responses to CMV and HSV were also associated with more rapid CD4 loss (P = 0.05). HLA phenotyped individuals (n = 150) with two HLA-DR alleles associated with response to more HIV peptides and CMV (DR-2,5,w6,10) were less likely to develop neurocognitive (P = 0.002) and neurologic impairment (P = 0.04), but were not protected from CD4 loss and death. Thus, the ability to generate a greater T cell proliferation response to HIV and opportunistic herpes viruses may lead to resistance to central nervous system damage, but also risk of more rapid HIV disease progression.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

Sequence analysis of the V3 loop in brain and spleen of patients with HIV encephalitis.

Infection with a particularly neurovirulent strain of HIV has been hypothesized to explain why only a subset of patients develops HIV encephalitis. We studied the third hypervariable region (V3) of multiple clones from both brains and spleens of three patients who died with HIV encephalitis, to see if there was a molecular signature associated with neurological disease. Clones from the spleen and brain of individual patients showed significant nucleic acid homology and had envelope sequences characteristic of macrophage-tropic viruses. No brain-specific unique sequences were observed, suggesting that while CNS virus is macrophage tropic there is no evidence in the V3 envelope region studied to suggest a specific neurotropic variant.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

Clinicopathologic correlations in acute retinal necrosis caused by herpes simplex virus type 2.

The acute retinal necrosis syndrome is a rapidly progressive and potentially devastating disease. A case of acute retinal necrosis developed in an immunocompetent man, Presumably due to the stress, trauma, or immunomodulation related to a craniotomy for a parasellar craniopharyngioma. Vitrectomy and endoretinal biopsy were performed. Polymerase chain reaction studies of the vitreous revealed herpes simplex virus type 2 as the cause, which has not been previously well documented. Results of cerebrospinal fluid antibody studies were also consistent with the diagnosis. Results of cytology and histopathologic examination demonstrated extensive retinal destruction and mononuclear cell infiltration. Sloughing of the inner retina was evidenced by the presence of retinal vascular remnants in the vitreous cytology specimen. As is characteristic of this disease, the visual outcome of this patient was poor.

Adult↗

Optic neuropathy preceding acute retinal necrosis in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the clinical course of varicella-zoster optic neuropathy preceding acute retinal necrosis in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. DESIGN: Case series. SETTING: Two tertiary care centers in San Diego, Calif, and London, England. PATIENTS: Three human immunodeficiency virus-positive men with previous cutaneous zoster infection, optic neuropathy, and necrotizing retinitis. RESULTS: All patients had an episode of zoster dermatitis treated with acyclovir. Visual loss consistent with an optic neuropathy ensued, followed by typical herpetic retinitis. The cause of visual loss was not suspected to be varicella-zoster until after the retinitis occurred. Despite aggressive medical treatment, 4 of 6 eyes progressed to retinal detachment. CONCLUSIONS: Varicella-zoster may cause an optic neuropathy in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, especially in those with previous shingles. A high index of suspicion is necessary to establish the diagnosis and begin early antizoster treatment.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗

Liposome-encapsulated (S)-1-(3-hydroxy-2-phosphonylmethoxypropyl)cytosine for long-acting therapy of viral retinitis.

The effect of liposome-encapsulated (S)-1-(3-hydroxy-2-phosphonylmethoxypropyl)cytosine (HPMPC; cidofovir) was evaluated as prophylaxis in a rabbit model of experimentally induced retinitis caused by preretinal inoculation of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1). Cidofovir (100 micrograms) in liposomes (0.1 mL) was injected intravitreally 10-120 days before retinal inoculation with HSV-1. Twenty-two of 26 eyes pretreated with liposome-encapsulated cidofovir 10-60 days before HSV-1 inoculation were protected from experimentally induced retinitis, and 2 of 5 eyes pretreated 120 days before inoculation were protected. Intravitreal levels of cidofovir were low (0.7 microgram/mL) but detectable 120 days after injection. One 100-micrograms intravitreal injection of liposome-encapsulated cidofovir appears to have a remarkably potent and prolonged (up to 4 months) antiviral effect in this experimental model of HSV-1 retinitis. Since HPMPC is even more potent against cytomegalovirus than HSV-1, liposome-encapsulated cidofovir may prove to be effective local therapy for AIDS patients with cytomegalovirus retinitis.

Animals↗

Expression of HIV regulatory and structural mRNA in the central nervous system.

OBJECTIVE: HIV encephalitis is observed in approximately one-half of AIDS autopsies. Although most investigators would agree that central nervous system (CNS) macrophages are the predominant infected cell in HIV encephalitis, there remains some controversy regarding whether other CNS cells can be infected by HIV and thus show the molecular characteristics of such an infection. DESIGN AND METHODS: Using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and immunocytochemistry (ICC), we examined CNS tissues from AIDS and control autopsies for the presence of non-productive HIV infection. RESULTS: Single-spliced mRNA for structural envelope proteins were detected in the basal ganglia of only one of nine HIV-seropositive autopsies without HIV encephalitis and none of five seronegative autopsy controls. Double-spliced mRNA for regulatory proteins (e.g., Nef and Tat) were not detected in either the seropositive non-HIV encephalitis or seronegative controls. Both single and double-spliced viral RNA could be detected in basal ganglia of 10 out of 13 autopsies with HIV encephalitis. Similar findings were obtained when cerebral white matter was examined. Using PCR primers that distinguish single from double-spliced mRNA, we found no evidence for selective expression of the Nef regulatory gene. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that expression of HIV mRNA in the CNS is limited to those patients with HIV encephalitis. Further HIV encephalitis appears to be a chronic permissive infection of the CNS, without evidence of restricted Nef transcript expression.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

Polymerase chain reaction detection of cytomegalovirus and human immunodeficiency virus-1 in the retina of patients with acquired immune deficiency syndrome with and without cotton-wool spots.

PURPOSE: The authors determine the association, if any, between detection of human cytomegalovirus (CMV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) nucleic acids and retinal lesions in patients with acquired immune deficiency syndrome. METHODS: Postmortem eyes were examined with a dissecting microscope and light microscopy. Retinal cotton-wool spots (CWS) were removed using a clean touch punch biopsy technique. Equivalent amounts of retinal tissue from the posterior pole of the retina not affected by CWS and from the retinal periphery also were studied. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) detection of retinal cellular DNA (GA3PD gene), human CMV DNA (major immediate early gene), and HIV (gag gene) was performed using ethidium bromide and liquid hybridization detection. RESULTS: Ninety percent of CWS were positive for CMV DNA versus 22% of peripheral retinal biopsies (P < 0.025). Liquid hybridization showed similar results. Analysis of lesions in which results of both tests were positive (ethidium and liquid hybridization) versus lesions in which results of either test were negative also showed a strong association between CWS and CMV, but not HIV nucleic acids (P < 0.02). Studies of HIV showed no association between retinal CWS lesions and HIV nucleic acid; with liquid hybridization HIV, RNA was detected equally at low levels in all areas. CONCLUSION: There is a statistically significant association between the presence of human CMV nucleic acids and retinal CWS detected by PCR. There is a low level presence of HIV in the retinal tissue studied that is only detectable using liquid hybridization techniques and is not associated with a particular area or lesions in the retina; this may represent detection of HIV in blood. The presence of CMV in areas of retinal CWS may have implications for their pathogenesis, but further study is necessary because other explanations are possible.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗