Tanzania						                            
                            
						
 Research Article
												Polyamines: Predictive Biomarker for HIV-Associated Neurocognitive Disorders 						
Author(s): Salim Merali, Carlos A Barrero, Ned C Sacktor, Norman J Haughey, Prasun K Datta, Dianne Langford and Kamel KhaliliSalim Merali, Carlos A Barrero, Ned C Sacktor, Norman J Haughey, Prasun K Datta, Dianne Langford and Kamel Khalili             
						
												
				 Objectives: Spermidine/spermine-N1-acetytransferase (SSAT) is the key enzyme in the catabolism of polyamines that are involved in regulating NMDA functioning. Over expression of SSAT leads to abnormal metabolic cycling and may disrupt NMDA receptor signaling. In fact, the HIV protein Tat induces neurotoxicity involving polyamine/NMDA receptor interactions. Thus, we investigated abnormal polyamine cycling in HIV+ participants with varying degrees of HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders.
Methods: Acetyl-polyamine (SSAT products) levels were assessed by HPLC in CSF from 99 HIV-infected participants (no cognitive impairment (NCI, n=25), asymptomatic neurocognitive impairment (ANI, n=25), mild cognitive and motor disorders (MCMD, n=24), and HIV-associated dementia (HAD, n=25)). Polyamine levels in brain tissues from a subset of participants (uninfected (n=3), NCI (n=3), and MNCD.. Read More»
				  
												DOI:
												 10.4172/2155-6113.1000312 
																	  
Journal of AIDS & Clinical Research received 5264 citations as per Google Scholar report