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Published on: December 9, 2010
Nanoparticle based galectin-1 gene silencing, implications in methamphetamine regulation of HIV-1 infection in
Jessica L Reynolds1, Wing Cheung Law, Supriya D Mahajan
1Department of Medicine, Division of Allergy, Immunology and Rheumatology, State University of New York at Buffalo, Innovation Center, 640 Ellicott Street, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA. jlr8@buffalo.edu
Abstract:
Galectin-1, an adhesion molecule, is expressed in macrophages and implicated in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) viral adsorption. In this study, we investigated the effects of methamphetamine on galectin-1 production in human monocyte derived macrophages (MDM) and the role of galectin-1 in methamphetamine potentiation of HIV-1 infection. Herein we show that levels of galectin-1 gene and protein expression are significantly increased by methamphetamine. Furthermore, concomitant incubation of MDM with galectin-1 and methamphetamine facilitates HIV-1 infection compared to galectin-1 alone or methamphetamine alone. We utilized a nanotechnology approach that uses gold nanorod (GNR)-galectin-1 siRNA complexes (nanoplexes) to inhibit gene expression for galectin-1. Nanoplexes significantly silenced gene expression for galectin-1 and reversed the effects of methamphetamine on galectin-1 gene expression. Moreover, the effects of methamphetamine on HIV-1 infection were attenuated in the presence of the nanoplex in MDM.
