Document 0064
 DOCN  M9650064
 TI    Intracerebral injection of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 coat
       protein gp120 differentially affects the expression of nerve growth
       factor and nitric oxide synthase in the hippocampus of rat.
 DT    9605
 AU    Bagetta G; Corasaniti MT; Aloe L; Berliocchi L; Costa N; Finazzi-Agro A;
       Nistico G; Department of Biology, Mondino-Tor Vergata Center for;
       Experimental Neurobiology, Rome, Italy.
 SO    Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1996 Jan 23;93(2):928-33. Unique Identifier :
       AIDSLINE MED/96149412
 AB    We have studied the neuropathological characteristics of the brain of
       rats receiving daily intracerebroventricular administration of freshly
       dissolved human immunodeficiency virus type 1 recombinant protein gp120
       (100 ng per rat per day) given for up to 14 days. Histological
       examination of serial brain sections revealed no apparent gross damage
       to the cortex or hippocampus, nor did cell counting yield significant
       neuronal cell loss. However, the viral protein caused after 7 and 14
       days of treatment DNA fragmentation in 10% of brain cortical neurons.
       Interestingly, reduced neuronal nitric oxide synthase (NOS) expression
       along with significant increases in nerve growth factor (NGF) were
       observed in the hippocampus, where gp120 did not cause neuronal damage.
       No changes in NGF and NOS expression were seen in the cortex, where cell
       death is likely to be of the apoptotic type. The present data
       demonstrate that gp120-induced cortical cell death is associated with
       the lack of increase of NGF in the cerebral cortex and suggest that the
       latter may be important for the expression of neuropathology in the rat
       brain. By contrast, enhanced levels of NGF may prevent or delay neuronal
       death in the hippocampus, where reduced NOS expression may be a
       reflection of a subcellular insult inflicted by the viral protein.
 DE    Animal  Brain/PATHOLOGY  Cell Death  DNA Damage  Gene Expression
       Regulation/*DRUG EFFECTS  Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein/ISOLATION &
       PURIF  Hippocampus/*METABOLISM/PATHOLOGY  HIV Envelope Protein
       gp120/GENETICS/*PHARMACOLOGY  *HIV-1  Immunohistochemistry  Injections,
       Intraventricular  Male  Nerve Growth Factors/*BIOSYNTHESIS
       Neurons/PATHOLOGY  Nitric-Oxide Synthase/*BIOSYNTHESIS  Rats  Rats,
       Wistar  Recombinant Proteins/PHARMACOLOGY  RNA, Messenger/ANALYSIS
       Support, Non-U.S. Gov't  Time Factors  JOURNAL ARTICLE

       SOURCE: National Library of Medicine.  NOTICE: This material may be
       protected by Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.Code).