Document Type

Paper- Restricted to Campus Access

Publication Date

7-22-2020

Faculty Mentor

Jennifer King

Abstract

Neuroinflammation, the activation of the brain's innate immune system in response to inflammatory challenges, is characterized by a host of cellular and molecular changes within the central nervous system. During neuroinflammation, microglia provide trophic support and function as a defense mechanism by utilizing phagocytosis to eliminate harmful cellular debris and maintain homeostasis. In HIV associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND), microglia can be dysregulated, resulting in an increase in phagocytosis which can then be followed by neuronal cell death, or a decrease in phagocytosis, preventing the removal of harmful cellular debris. Previous studies have characterized the mechanisms that control phagocytic activity during an inflammatory state with variable findings. Additional investigation is necessary to uncover the specific role of microglial cytoskeletal proteins in neurodegenerative diseases, HIV associated neurocognitive diseases in particular. Our current study therefore further examines how cytoskeletal proteins modulate the activity of microglia phagocytic function in HIV-1 Tat induced neuroinflammation on BV-2 cells.

Comments

Presented during the 22nd Annual Summer Fellows Symposium, July 24, 2020 at Ursinus College.

The downloadable file is a slide presentation with audio commentary in mp4 format. The run time is 10:56.

The final project is available here.

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