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Aging alters voltage-gated calcium channels in prefrontal cortex pyramidal neurons in the HIV brain

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Abstract

We assessed firing and voltage-gated Ca2+ influx in medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) pyramidal neurons from older (12 months old) HIV-1 transgenic (Tg) rats. We found that neurons from older Tg rats showed increased firing compared to non-Tg rats, but Ca2+ spikes were unchanged. However, stronger excitatory stimulation was needed to evoke Ca2+ spikes, which was associated with reduced mPFC Cav1.2 L-type Ca2+ channel (L-channel) protein. In contrast, L-channel protein was unaltered in younger (6–7 weeks old) Tg rats, which we previously found had enhanced neuronal Ca2+ influx. These studies demonstrate that aging alters HIV-induced Ca2+ channel dysfunction that affects mPFC activity.

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Funding

This study was supported by the National Institutes of Health (USPHSGs NS084817 to X-TH, and DA033966 & NS060632 to LA).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Rush University Medical Center, Cohn Research Building, Rm.414, 1735 W. Harrison Street, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA

    Christina E. Khodr, Lihua Chen, Lena Al-Harthi & Xiu-Ti Hu

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  1. Christina E. Khodr
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  2. Lihua Chen
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  3. Lena Al-Harthi
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  4. Xiu-Ti Hu
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Correspondence to Xiu-Ti Hu.

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Khodr, C.E., Chen, L., Al-Harthi, L. et al. Aging alters voltage-gated calcium channels in prefrontal cortex pyramidal neurons in the HIV brain. J. Neurovirol. 24, 113–118 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13365-017-0588-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13365-017-0588-y

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