Fig. 5
From: HIV-tat alters Connexin43 expression and trafficking in human astrocytes: role in NeuroAIDS
Schematic representation of our working model. We believe HIV infects a small population of astrocytes, inducing the expression of HIV-tat and subsequent upregulation of expression of Cx43. This upregulation of Cx43 expression results in the maintenance of gap junctional communication and opening of Cx43 hemichannels on the surface of the astrocytes. Both Cx43-containing channels, GJ and hemichannels, enable toxic intracellular signals (probably IP3 and calcium related) to spread into uninfected neighboring cells resulting in apoptosis. In contrast, HIV-infected astrocytes survive apoptosis, generating CNS reservoirs