Document 2912
 DOCN  M94A2912
 TI    The role of TNF-alpha in the pathogenesis of vacuolar myelopathy in
       AIDS.
 DT    9412
 AU    Ciardi A; Tan SV; An SF; Guiloff RJ; Scaravilli F; Department of
       Neuropathology, Institute of Neurology, Queen; Square, London, UK.
 SO    Int Conf AIDS. 1994 Aug 7-12;10(1):196 (abstract no. PB0212). Unique
       Identifier : AIDSLINE ICA10/94369663
 AB    The amounts of microglia/macrophages, of cells expressing MHC class II
       antigen and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) were evaluated in
       the spinal cord. HIV encephalitis/leucoencephalopathy (as shown by the
       presence of MGCs and/or p24 antigen positive cells) was present in 56%
       of the cases. Other brain pathology were CMV encephalitis (16%),
       lymphoma (6%) and PML (6%); 16% of the patients had non specific
       lesions. HIV myelitis was seen in 1 out of 18 cords, which were devoid
       of opportunistic infections. Depending on the area involved and severity
       of vacuolar changes and inflammation VM was classified as mild in 7
       cases, moderate in 2 and severe in 6. No VM was seen in 3 cases. p24
       antigen was detected in the cord in 1/18 cases. In all 18 cases the
       number of inflammatory cells the expression of MHC II and the amount of
       TNF-alpha was higher than in controls; moreover there was correlation
       between the severity of VM and the number of microglia/macrophages. On
       the other hand, whereas cords without VM showed low levels of TNF-alpha
       and microglial/macrophages, cases with VM showed amount of
       microglial/macrophages proportional to the severity of VM, whilst
       increased expression of TNF-alpha seemed to be correlate more with the
       presence of VM than with its severity.
 DE    Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/IMMUNOLOGY/*PHYSIOPATHOLOGY  Brain
       Diseases/COMPLICATIONS  Encephalitis/COMPLICATIONS  Human  HLA-D
       Antigens/ANALYSIS  Macrophages/CHEMISTRY/PATHOLOGY
       Microglia/CHEMISTRY/PATHOLOGY  Myelitis/*ETIOLOGY/IMMUNOLOGY/PATHOLOGY
       Severity of Illness Index  Spinal Cord/PATHOLOGY  Tumor Necrosis
       Factor/ANALYSIS/*PHYSIOLOGY  Vacuoles  MEETING ABSTRACT

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