Dopamine Dysregulation in Antiretroviral Drugs Treated Neuronal Cells

According to the world health organization (WHO), 37.7 million people worldwide in 2020 were living with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1). In the US, combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) drugs have shown effectiveness in combating HIV-1 infection. As a result, cART has prolonged the lifespan of people with HIV aiding these patients to age with the virus. Clinical evidence has established the long-term effects of cART in the aging population causing neuropsychiatric disorders such as depression. However, the underline molecular mechanism that cART induces depression-related neurodegeneration has not been established. This study will pursue a dopamine (DA) dysregulation marker in cART treatment through in vitro conditions. Additionally, this study will establish the role of human protein DJ-1 as a neuronal marker and its correlation with other neuronal proteins. Characterizing the correlation between DJ-1 and cART mediated neurodegeneration will contribute to the early detection of depression