Research

Mechanisms of Neuroprotection in HIV Encephalitis

Agency: NIH/NIMH

Agency Award Number: R01MH062962

Modern treatments with highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) regimens result in HIV suppression and immune recovery, however the prevalence of HIV-Associated Neurocognitive Disorders (HAND) and neurodegeneration has remained the same or increased. During the previous period of funding we showed that abnormal activation of cyclin dependent kinase-5 (CDK5) plays a key role in HIV. We also demonstrated that abnormal activation of CDK5 promotes neurodegeneration via accumulation of TAU and collapsin response mediator protein-2 (CRMP2), a novel target in HAND. Remarkably, knockdown of CDK5 reduced the deficits in a gp120 tg model. For the renewal the main objectives will be; a) to better understand the cellular mechanisms through which HIV proteins promote nucleo-cytoplasmic translocation and pathological activation of CDK5 leading to TAU/CRMP2 mediated neurotoxicity, and b) to determine if TAU reduction or CDK5 inhibition with a new class of CDK5 inhibitors that penetrate the BBB is neuroprotective in preclinical models of HIV neurotoxicity.