EFFECTS OF HIV ON THE IMMUNE AND NEUROENDOCRINE AXIS

摘要：（改编自作者的摘要）艾滋病是一种疾病 影响许多器官;特别是那些免疫，神经， 神经内分泌系统 本申请的总体假设是 神经内分泌激素的产生和/或 这些分子被淋巴细胞改变了艾滋病毒感染，这 可能介导艾滋病中的某些内分泌和免疫异常。 此前，这些研究人员发现，艾滋病病毒，艾滋病毒，诱导 淋巴细胞中的神经内分泌激素，促肾上腺皮质激素（ACTH）。 此外，他们还发现CRF和 HIV的主要包膜蛋白gp 120。 显然，这 结构相似反映功能。 在这项研究中， 研究人员将在结构和功能上表征这种同源性， 术语，以确定艾滋病毒的淋巴细胞的能力和可能性， 而非淋巴效应是通过CRF受体。 艾滋病毒的影响 感染对人群激素产生和反应的影响 神经内分泌和淋巴细胞将在细胞和 分子水平。 这些研究应该提供新的见解的作用 艾滋病病毒感染者的免疫系统已对内分泌出现异常 并可能提出新的治疗方法，以控制感染， 来治疗衰弱的系统性改变

DESCRIPTION: (Adapted from the author's abstract.) AIDS is a disease affecting many organs; notably, those of the immune, nervous, and neuroendocrine systems. The overall hypothesis in this application is that the production of neuroendocrine hormones and/or responsiveness to these molecules by lymphocytes is altered by HIV infection and that this may mediate some of the endocrine and immune abnormalities seen in AIDS. Previously, these investigators found that the AIDS virus, HIV, induces the neuroendocrine hormone, adrenocorticotrophin (ACTH), in lymphocytes. Further, they found structural and functional similarity between CRF and the major envelope protein of HIV, gp120. Apparently, therefore, this structural similarity reflects function. In the research proposed, the investigators will characterize this homology in structural and functional terms in order to determine the ability and likelihood that HIV's lymphoid and non-lymphoid effects are through CRF receptors. The effects of HIV infection on hormone production and response in populations of neuroendocrine and lymphoid cells will be studied at both the cellular and molecular levels. These studies should provide new insight into the role HIV infection of the immune system has on the endocrine abnormalities seen with AIDS and may suggest new therapies either to control the infection or to treat the debilitating systemic alterations.