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Figure 3. Cascade of events in the neuropathogenesis of HIV dementia. HIV-infected glial cells (macrophages/ microglia and astrocytes) release viral proteins such as Tat that may be toxic to neurons, hence termed virotoxins. These viral proteins may also activate uninfected glial cells to release cellular factors such as MMPs, which are also toxic to neurons. However, these MMPs may interact with Tat and thus control the cascade of events leading to neuronal protection and prevent other Tat mediated effects such as LTR activation.
