The in vitro model consists of an important brain cell type - the astrocytes. The many functions of astrocytes include protecting the brain from injury and harmful agents and providing essential support for nerve cells. Since mature astrocytes can have a very long lifespan and may exist for years they can be used to study chronic infections by long-lived cells with resting viral genomes that are activated by different factors,” explained Prof. Dr. Ruth Brack-Werner of the Institute of Virology.

Recent studies identified HIV genomes in up to 19% of astrocytes in brain tissues from deceased HIV-1 infected individuals.
So far, no experimental model has existed to study HIV latency in these cells. Several viral proteins are toxic to neurons and may cause immune damage in the brain. Since only limited replacement of astrocytes occurs in the brain, loss of these cells may cause serious damage.

In the current press release, Dr. Martha Schneider, first author of the study said, that they want to identify drug candidates which are able to prevent activation of latent viruses in astrocytes. In the future, the scientists plan to use this system to study the effect of these and other compounds that may prevent the activation of HIV-1 in the brain.

The researchers have published their model in the journal AIDS.

Original Publication:
Schneider, M. et al. (2015). A new model for post-integration latency in macroglial cells to study HIV-1 reservoirs of the brain, AIDS, DOI:10.1097/QAD.0000000000000691

Weitere Informationen:
http://www.helmholtz-muenchen.de/en/viro/index.html
http://www.helmholtz-muenchen.de/aktuelles/pressemitteilungen/2015/index.html