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Purpose: Even though astrocytes are restrictively infected with HIV-1, they are capable of producing neurotoxic viral proteins and proinflammatory mediators. This can significantly aggravate the pathogenesis of HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND). Thus, there is a great need to identify latently infected astrocytes and develop strategies to target this elusive population. We hypothesize that harboring HIV-1 proviral reservoirs alters astrocyte function in conjunction with unique gene expression patterns that could serve as biomarkers and facilitate targeted therapy.

Methods: Red/Green-HIV-1 (R/G-HIV-1) was used to visualize viral promoter (LTR) activity in primary human astrocytes. Astrocytes with active (R+/G+) and silent (R+/G-) LTRs were enriched using FACS.

Results: Nested Alu-gag PCR confirmed the presence of integrated R/G-HIV-1 provirus in transduced astrocytes. Astrocytes with silent promoter …