Enhanced expression of fractalkine in HIV-1 associated dementia

The CX3C chemokine fractalkine was found to be up-regulated in the brain du ring inflammatory processes. In this study, we tried to assess the role of fractalkine in HIV-1-associated dementia. Fractalkine expression is up-regu lated in the brains of AIDS patients with HAD. Fractalkine immunoreactivity was mainly detected in astrocytes. in addition, fractalkine expression was found to be up-regulated in cocultures of astrocytes and HIV infected macr ophages. This up-regulation was dependent on cell-cell contact. We propose that fractalkine produced during interactions between astrocytes and HIV-in fected macrophages plays a role in HAD by regulating the trafficking of mon ocytic cells in the brain parenchyma. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All ri ghts reserved.