HIV Transgenic Mouse Monocytes Display Increased In Vivo Migration Across the Blood Brain Barrier Associated with Increased Expression of Genes Associated with Mononuclear Leukocyte Migration

Despite supressive antiretroviral therapy, these HIV-infected cells mediate a neuroinflammatory process causing HIV-associated neurocognitive deficites (HAND) in at least 20% of people with HIV. Continued migration of HIV-infected monocytes into the brain may further exacerbate neuroinflammation and replenish viral reservoirs.

To ascertain how HIV infection facilitates monocyte passage across the BBB in vivo, we developed a novel mouse model to quantify circulating monocytes supporting HIV production that migrated into the brain. We demontrate that significantly more monocytes from HIV-transgenic mice, capable of supporting HIV production, crossed the BBB compared to control transgenic mouse monocytes. This difference was particularly pronounced after recipient mice were treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS).