Abstract
Patients infected with HIV-1 experience several hyperproliferative skin disorders, including seborrheic dermatitis, ichthyosis, and psoriasis. Transgenic mice carrying a subgenomic HIV-1 proviral construct lacking the gag and pol genes were found to develop proliferative epidermal lesions, manifested as diffuse epidermal hyperplasia in homozygous transgenic mice and benign papillomas in heterozygous transgenic mice. Nonpapillomatous skin from both homozygotes and heterozygotes expressed viral RNA, and the viral envelope protein gp120 was localized to the suprabasal keratinocyte. Papillomas contained increased amounts of both viral mRNA and envelope glycoprotein. Exposure of transgenic mice to doses of ultraviolet B (UV-B) irradiation that induced cutaneous injury increased viral gene expression and resulted in the development of papillomas within 14-21 days. Cutaneous injury induced by phenol and liquid nitrogen had similar effects. These data support a role for HIV-1 gene products in the pathogenesis of proliferative epidermal disorders associated with HIV-1 infection. Further, they suggest that the process of wound repair increases HIV-1 gene expression in this transgenic mouse model.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.