Date Published:
2023 Jun

Publication Type:
Journal Article

Authors:

T.A. Premeaux
S.T. Yeung
S.K. Pillai
L.C. Ndhlovu

Secondary:
J Neurovirol

Volume:
29

Pagination:
337-345

Issue:
3

PMID:
37233903

URL:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37233903

DOI:
10.1007/s13365-023-01149-9

Keywords:
Brain;Cognition;Galectins;HIV Infections;Humans

Abstract:
<p>HIV persistence and neuroinflammation are known to contribute to HIV-associated neuropathology. However, the multifaceted pathways driving impairment remain poorly understood. Galectin-glycan interactions have emerged as significant contributors to neuroinflammatory processes and may play a role in neuroHIV. Here, we quantified Galectin-9 (Gal-9), a pleiotropic immunomodulatory protein, in post-mortem brain tissue across multiple regions from HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected donors to determine causal associations with HIV brain injury. We demonstrate that the staining intensity, total staining area, and cell-associated frequency of Gal-9 were elevated, principally in the frontal lobe and basal ganglia. Higher frontal lobe Gal-9 levels correlated with lower pre-mortem neuropsychological performance test scores in areas of attention and motor skills. Our results suggest that Gal-9 activity across the brain plays a role in neuroHIV pathogenesis and constitutes a promising disease-modifying target.</p>