The regulation of alpha chemokines during HIV-1 infection and leukocyte activation: relevance for HIV-1-associated dementia

Cellular immunity against human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-infec ted brain macrophages serves to prevent productive viral replication in the nervous system. Inevitably, during advanced disease, this antiretroviral r esponse breaks down, This could occur through virus-induced dysregulation o f lymphocyte trafficking. Thus, we studied the production of non-ELR-contai ning alpha -chemokines and their receptor (CXCR3) expression in relevant vi rus target cells. Macrophages, lymphocytes, and astrocytes secreted alpha - chemokines after HIV-1 infection and/or immune activation. Lymphocyte CXCR3 -mediated chemotactic responses were operative. In all, alpha -chemokine-me diated T cell migration continued after HIV-1 infection and the neuroinflam matory events operative during productive viral replication in brain. (C) 2 001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.