Oxidative damage induced by the injection of HIV-1 Tat protein in the rat striatum

Oxidative stress has been hypothesized to play a role in the pathogenesis o f different neurodegenerative disorders, including HIV-related dementia. Ta t, a nonstructural protein of HIV, is implicated in potentiation of neurona l apoptosis by mechanisms involving the disruption of calcium homeostasis a nd oxidative stress. The injection of Tar caused an increase of protein car bonyl formation in the rat striatum. Increased oxidative modification of pr oteins occurred early after Tat injection and preceded Tat-mediated astrogl iosis. Immunostaining of brain sections demonstrated that an area of promin ent protein carbonyl immunoreactivity surrounded an injection site in the s triatum of Tat-injected rats. Intense protein carbonyl immunoreactivity was localized in cell bodies. Our study suggests that increased protein oxidat ion may be an important part of the mechanism of Tat neurotoxicity. (C) 200 1 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.