HIV Type 1 Infection of Human Cortical Neuronal Cells: Enhancement by Select Neuronal Growth Factors

Neuronal cells in culture respond to neuronal growth factors by secondary cellular pathways similar to those described for activation of lymphocytes and macrophages. In HIV-1-infected T lymphocytes and in macrophages, these pathways were shown to converge on nuclear factors that bind and stimulate the HIV-1 LTR and lead to enhancement of HIV-1 expression. In the current study we have investigated whether the same mechanisms also enhance HIV-1 production by neural cells. We have demonstrated that HIV/N1T replication in HCN-1A cells, a human cortical neuronal cell line, is enhanced threefold by nerve growth factor (NGF) and by fibroblast growth factor (FGF), but not by epidermal growth (EGF) factor, or phorbol ester. HCN-1A cells also responded to HIV/N1T infection with pronounced morphological changes, indicative of a differentiation-like process. The cells diminished in size and small neurites were observed.