HIV antigen in the brains of patients with the AIDS dementia complex

Human immunodeficiency virus infection was identified immunohistochemically in the brains of 8 patients with acquired immune deficiency syndrome dementia complex. Using a monoclonal antibody against a structural viral protein (p25), infection was detected in white matter and basal ganglia in a distribution paralleling that of the major neuropathological abnormalities. Viral antigen was identified principally in perivascular and parenchymal macrophages and in multinucleated cells of macrophage origin that were identified morphologically and by immunocytochemical staining for acid phosphatase isozyme. In 4 of the 8 patients, viral antigen was also detected in acid-phosphatase-negative, process-bearing neuroglial cells; in 2 patients, antigen was detected in basal ganglion cells that were morphologically consistent with neurons and in alkaline-phosphatase-positive cells with elongated nuclei that were most likely of endothelial origin.