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Localization of HIV-1 in human brain using polymerase chain reaction/in situ hybridization and immunocytochemistry
Takahashi K, Wesselingh SL, Griffin DE, McArthur JC, Johnson RT, Glass JD.. Annals of neurology, 1996-06-01
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infects the brains of a majority of patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), and has been linked to the development of a progressive dementia termed "HIV-associated dementia." This disorder results in severe cognitive, behavioral, and motor deficits. Despite this neurological dysfunction, HIV-1 infection of brain cells does not occur significantly in neurons, astrocytes, or oligodendrocytes, but is restricted to brain macrophages and microglia. To identify possible low-level or latent infection of other brain cells, we combined the techniques of the polymerase chain reaction with in situ hybridization for the detection of HIV DNA, and used immunocytochemistry to identify the HIV-expressing cells. In the 21 adult brains studied (15 AIDS and 6 seronegative control brains), we found that polymerase chain reaction/in situ hybridization was both sensitive and specific for identifying HIV-infected cells. In all brains, the majority of infected cells were macrophages and microglia. In several brains, however, a substantial minority of cells harboring HIV DNA were identified as astrocytes. Neurons, oligodendrocytes, and endothelial cells were not infected with HIV, even in cases with HIV-associated dementia. These findings confirm previous data regarding the importance of macrophage/microglial infection, and essentially exclude neuronal infection in pathogenetic models of HIV-associated neurological disease. These data also demonstrate that latent or low-level infection of astrocytes occurs in AIDS, a finding that may be of importance in understanding HIV neuropathogenesis.
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APA 7th
Takahashi, K., Wesselingh, S. L., Griffin, D. E., McArthur, J. C., Johnson, R. T., & Glass, J. D. (1996). Localization of HIV-1 in human brain using polymerase chain reaction/in situ hybridization and immunocytochemistry. Annals of neurology. https://doi.org/10.1002/ana.410390606
Vancouver
Takahashi K, Wesselingh SL, Griffin DE, McArthur JC, Johnson RT, Glass JD. Localization of HIV-1 in human brain using polymerase chain reaction/in situ hybridization and immunocytochemistry. Annals of neurology. 1996. doi:10.1002/ana.410390606. PMID: 8651642.
BibTeX
@article{takahashi1996-8651642,
author = {Takahashi, K. and Wesselingh, S. L. and Griffin, D. E. and McArthur, J. C. and Johnson, R. T. and Glass, J. D.},
title = {{Localization of HIV-1 in human brain using polymerase chain reaction/in situ hybridization and immunocytochemistry}},
journal = {Annals of neurology},
year = {1996},
doi = {10.1002/ana.410390606},
pmid = {8651642},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1002/ana.410390606}
}
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Key findings
- Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infects the brains of a majority of patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), and has been linked to the development of a progressive dementia termed "HIV-associated dementia." This disorder results in severe cognitive, behavioral, and motor deficits.
- Despite this neurological dysfunction, HIV-1 infection of brain cells does not occur significantly in neurons, astrocytes, or oligodendrocytes, but is restricted to brain macrophages and microglia.
- In the 21 adult brains studied (15 AIDS and 6 seronegative control brains), we found that polymerase chain reaction/in situ hybridization was both sensitive and specific for identifying HIV-infected cells.
- These findings confirm previous data regarding the importance of macrophage/microglial infection, and essentially exclude neuronal infection in pathogenetic models of HIV-associated neurological disease.
Why it matters
This study localized HIV-1 mainly to macrophages and microglia in the brains of people with AIDS, including some with HIV-associated dementia. It concerns HIV infection in the brain and does not address Alzheimer's disease treatment, cure or prevention.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 47/100
Published in a leading specialty journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 9 / 10 | Tier 2 — leading specialty journal (Annals of neurology) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Annals of Neurology: journal h-index 437 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 1996 — older than 20 years, still counted |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 6 / 7 | Cited 409 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 12.8 citations a year over 32 year(s) since 1996 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 7.9× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 8 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 6 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Jonathan D. Glass: h-index 71 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | Johns Hopkins University: institution h-index 2,306 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 3 institution(s) in 2 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 8651642) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 47 / 100 | — |
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