Publications by authors named "Paul R Clifford"
Article Synopsis
- - Despite advancements in antiretroviral therapy, around 50% of individuals with HIV experience chronic neurocognitive disorders (HAND), which negatively affect their quality of life due to ongoing central nervous system damage.
- - Current research suggests that inflammation from latent HIV reservoirs contributes to HAND progression, with BBB pericytes (cells in the blood-brain barrier) playing a crucial role as potential viral reservoirs, although their latent infection is not well understood.
- - A new study highlights the unique transcriptional profiles of BBB pericytes with active and latent HIV infection, showing that the AKT signaling pathway is vital for the survival of these latent reservoirs, which could inform future treatments targeting these cells.
While HIV-1 is primarily an infection of CD4 + T cells, there is an emerging interest towards understanding how infection of other cell types can contribute to HIV-associated comorbidities. For HIV-1 to cross from the blood stream into tissues, the virus must come in direct contact with the vascular endothelium, including pericytes that envelope vascular endothelial cells. Pericytes are multifunctional cells that have been recognized for their essential role in angiogenesis, vessel maintenance, and blood flow rate.
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