AEGiS-BAR: Study: Meth promotes HIV infection at the cellular level

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2006. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

Study: Meth promotes HIV infection at the cellular level

Bay Area Reporter - August 10, 2006
Bob Roehr

Meth, crystal, Tina - regardless the name, folks have long known that use of the street drug creates a kind of euphoria that can lead to increased risky behavior and contribute to the spread of HIV infection.

Now, researchers have shown a second way that meth increases the risk of infection and can speed up the pace of the disease. It is at the level of the virus interacting with the cells of one's body.

Madhavan P.N. Nair, a cellular biologist at the University at Buffalo, looked at dendritic cells, part of the immune system that HIV, and other pathogens, first latch onto when entering the body.

He found that when meth attaches itself to dopamine receptors on cells, that somehow causes more of the molecule DC-SIGN to express itself on the surface of cells. DC-SIGN is the receptor molecule on the surface of dendritic cells that HIV grabs onto near the surface of skin or mucosal tissue.

This complex of cells and virus then travels deeper into the immune system so that T-cells can kill the pathogen. T-cells can kill some HIV but they are overwhelmed by the increased number of virus that are attached to the meth-activated dendritic cells.

Nair said, "Use of dopamine receptor blockers during HIV infection in meth users could be beneficial therapeutically to reduce HIV infection in these high risk populations."

However, the practical problem is that meth's action on the dopamine receptor also is responsible for all of the pleasurable effects that users seek from the drug. So they are not likely to use anything that negates that purpose.

The study was published online on August 4 in the Journal of Neuroimmune Pharmacology.

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