Single-Cell Transcriptomics of Human Tonsils Reveals Nicotine Enhances HIV-1-Induced NLRP3 Inflammasome and Mitochondrial Activation.

Background: HIV-1 infection, even with effective antiretroviral therapy (ART), is associated with chronic inflammation and immune dysfunction, contributing to long-term health complications. Nicotine use, prevalent among people with HIV (PWH), is known to exacerbate immune activation and disease progression, but the precise biological mechanisms remain to be fully understood. This study sought to uncover the synergistic effects of HIV-1 infection and nicotine on immune cell function, focusing on beneficial insights into NLRP3 inflammasome activation, oxidative stress, and mitochondrial pathways.

The impacts of tobacco and nicotine on HIV-1 infection, inflammation, and the blood-brain barrier in the central nervous system.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) remains a persistent global health crisis. Even while successfully virologically suppressed, people with HIV (PWH) experience a higher risk for inflammatory disorders such as HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND). Tobacco use puts PWH at higher risk for neurocognitive symptoms resulting from HIV-associated neuroinflammation.

Oxidative phosphorylation in HIV-1 infection: impacts on cellular metabolism and immune function.

Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 (HIV-1) presents significant challenges to the immune system, predominantly characterized by CD4 T cell depletion, leading to Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS). Antiretroviral therapy (ART) effectively suppresses the viral load in people with HIV (PWH), leading to a state of chronic infection that is associated with inflammation. This review explores the complex relationship between oxidative phosphorylation, a crucial metabolic pathway for cellular energy production, and HIV-1, emphasizing the dual impact of HIV-1 infection and the metabolic and mitochondrial effects of ART.

The impact of cannabinoids on inflammasome signaling in HIV-1 infection.

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) is a chronic disease that afflicts over 38 million people worldwide without a known cure. The advent of effective antiretroviral therapies (ART) has significantly decreased the morbidity and mortality associated with HIV-1 infection in people living with HIV-1 (PWH), thanks to durable virologic suppression. Despite this, people with HIV-1 experience chronic inflammation associated with co-morbidities.