| AJTR Copyright © 2009-All rights reserved. Published by e-Century Publishing Corporation, Madison, WI 53711 |
Am J Transl Res 2009;1(1):72-79
Original Article
Green tea-EGCG reduces GFAP associated neuronal loss in HIV-1 Tat
transgenic mice
Elona Rrapo, Yuyan Zhu, Jun Tian, Huayan Hou, Adam Smith, Francisco Fernandez, Jun Tan and Brian Giunta
Neuroimmunology Laboratory, Institute for Research in Psychiatry and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral
Medicine, University of South Florida College of Medicine, Tampa, FL 33613, USA
Received December 24, 2008; accepted December 31, 2008; available online January 1, 2009
Abstract: In the current era of antiretroviral treatment, the prevalence of HIV-associated dementia is on the rise.
Many past works have associated inflammation and neuronal loss with cognitive deficits inherent to the
syndrome. Importantly, HIV-1 induced astrogliosis has been shown to play a central role in this process. Here
we examined the effect of green tea derived (−)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) food supplementation for its
ability to modulate GFAP expression and neuronal loss in an HIV-1 Tat transgenic mouse model whose
expression was controlled by a brain specific doxycycline promoter. By immunohistochemistry we found that
EGCG (300mg/kg/day) dramatically reduced astrogliosis as demonstrated by GFAP expression. This was
accompanied by a mild reduction in activated microglia by Iba-1 staining and significant reduction in neuronal
loss through apoptosis as demonstrated by MAP2 staining and Western blot analysis respectively. Future
studies will be required to determine intracellular mechanism involved in EGCG mediated downregulation of
GFAP and associated astrocytosis and neuronal loss. (AJTR812003).
Key Words: HIV, Tat, dementia,, astrocytosis, green tea, (−)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG)
Full Text PDF
Address all correspondence to:
Brian Giunta, MD, MS
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine
Neuroimmunology Laboratory
University of South Florida College of Medicine
3515 E Fletcher Ave., Tampa, FL 33613, USA
Tel: 813-974-0616; Fax: 813-974-1130
Email: bgiunta@health.usf.edu
Original Article
Green tea-EGCG reduces GFAP associated neuronal loss in HIV-1 Tat
transgenic mice
Elona Rrapo, Yuyan Zhu, Jun Tian, Huayan Hou, Adam Smith, Francisco Fernandez, Jun Tan and Brian Giunta
Neuroimmunology Laboratory, Institute for Research in Psychiatry and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral
Medicine, University of South Florida College of Medicine, Tampa, FL 33613, USA
Received December 24, 2008; accepted December 31, 2008; available online January 1, 2009
Abstract: In the current era of antiretroviral treatment, the prevalence of HIV-associated dementia is on the rise.
Many past works have associated inflammation and neuronal loss with cognitive deficits inherent to the
syndrome. Importantly, HIV-1 induced astrogliosis has been shown to play a central role in this process. Here
we examined the effect of green tea derived (−)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) food supplementation for its
ability to modulate GFAP expression and neuronal loss in an HIV-1 Tat transgenic mouse model whose
expression was controlled by a brain specific doxycycline promoter. By immunohistochemistry we found that
EGCG (300mg/kg/day) dramatically reduced astrogliosis as demonstrated by GFAP expression. This was
accompanied by a mild reduction in activated microglia by Iba-1 staining and significant reduction in neuronal
loss through apoptosis as demonstrated by MAP2 staining and Western blot analysis respectively. Future
studies will be required to determine intracellular mechanism involved in EGCG mediated downregulation of
GFAP and associated astrocytosis and neuronal loss. (AJTR812003).
Key Words: HIV, Tat, dementia,, astrocytosis, green tea, (−)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG)
Full Text PDF
Address all correspondence to:
Brian Giunta, MD, MS
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine
Neuroimmunology Laboratory
University of South Florida College of Medicine
3515 E Fletcher Ave., Tampa, FL 33613, USA
Tel: 813-974-0616; Fax: 813-974-1130
Email: bgiunta@health.usf.edu
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