Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 4, 2026

Quantification of Cerebral Vascular Architecture using Two-photon Microscopy in a Mouse Model of HIV-induced Neuroinflammation
Published on: January 12, 2016
Roles and functions of HIV-1 Tat protein in the CNS: an overview
Asen Bagashev, Bassel E Sawaya1
1Molecular Studies of Neurodegenerative Diseases Lab, The Fels Institute for Cancer Research & Molecular Biology, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA. sawaya@temple.edu.
Abstract:
Nearly 50% of HIV-infected individuals suffer from some form of HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND). HIV-1 Tat (a key HIV transactivator of transcription) protein is one of the first HIV proteins to be expressed after infection occurs and is absolutely required for the initiation of the HIV genome transcription. In addition to its canonical functions, various studies have shown the deleterious role of HIV-1 Tat in the development and progression of HAND. Within the CNS, only specific cell types can support productive viral replication (astrocytes and microglia), however Tat protein can be released form infected cells to affects HIV non-permissive cells such as neurons. Therefore, in this review, we will summarize the functions of HIV-1 Tat proteins in neural cells and its ability to promote HAND.
Related Concept Videos
Encephalitis ll: Pathophysiology
LTR Retrotransposons
The internal coding region of LTR retrotransposons and their mechanism of transposition closely resembles a...
Huntington Disease l: Introduction
Size and Structure of Viral Genomes
Protein Complex Assembly
Many viruses self-assemble into a fully functional unit using the infected host cell to...

