Persistent Peripheral Nervous System Damage in Simian Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected Macaques Receiving Antiretroviral Therapy

J Neuropathol Exp Neurol. 2015 Nov;74(11):1053-60. doi: 10.1097/NEN.0000000000000249.

Abstract

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-induced peripheral neuropathy is the most common neurologic complication associated with HIV infection. In addition to virus-mediated injury of the peripheral nervous system (PNS), treatment of HIV infection with combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) may induce toxic neuropathy as a side effect. Antiretroviral toxic neuropathy is clinically indistinguishable from the sensory neuropathy induced by HIV; in some patients, these 2 processes are likely superimposed. To study these intercurrent PNS disease processes, we first established a simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV)/pigtailed macaque model in which more than 90% of animals developed PNS changes closely resembling those seen in HIV-infected individuals with distal sensory neuropathy. To determine whether cART alters the progression of SIV-induced PNS damage, dorsal root ganglia and epidermal nerve fibers were evaluated in SIV-infected macaques after long-term suppressive cART. Although cART effectively suppressed SIV replication and reduced macrophage activation in the dorsal root ganglia, PGP 9.5 immunostaining and measurements of epidermal nerve fibers in the plantar surface of the feet of treated SIV-infected macaques clearly showed that cART did not normalize epidermal nerve fiber density. These findings illustrate that significant PNS damage persists in SIV-infected macaques on suppressive cART.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antigens, CD / metabolism
  • Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic / metabolism
  • Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active / methods*
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Ganglia, Spinal / drug effects
  • Ganglia, Spinal / metabolism
  • Ganglia, Spinal / pathology
  • Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Macaca nemestrina
  • Macrophages / drug effects
  • Macrophages / virology
  • Nerve Fibers / drug effects
  • Nerve Fibers / metabolism
  • Nerve Fibers / pathology
  • Peripheral Nervous System Diseases* / drug therapy
  • Peripheral Nervous System Diseases* / etiology
  • Peripheral Nervous System Diseases* / virology
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism
  • Simian Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / complications*
  • Simian Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / virology
  • Simian Immunodeficiency Virus / genetics
  • Simian Immunodeficiency Virus / pathogenicity*
  • Skin / innervation
  • Skin / pathology
  • Ubiquitin Thiolesterase / metabolism
  • Viral Load
  • Virus Replication / drug effects

Substances

  • Antigens, CD
  • Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic
  • CD68 antigen, human
  • Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein
  • RNA, Messenger
  • UCHL1 protein, human
  • Ubiquitin Thiolesterase