MITOCHONDRIAL-DNA LEVELS IN THE BRAIN OF HIV-POSITIVE PATIENTS AFTER ZIDOVUDINE THERAPY

Previous studies have shown that the antiviral nucleoside analogue zid ovudine (AZT) depletes levels of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) in muscle o f patients on long-term therapy. In this study we found that in a simi lar group of eight HIV-positive patients receiving AZT there was no de pletion of brain mtDNA. This finding suggests that AZT-related mtDNA d epletion is not a contributing factor in the HIV encephalopathy that o ccurs in a proportion of HIV-positive patients receiving this antivira l agent.