HIV infection and substance abuse are often co-occurring, and cocaine is one of the most commonly used drugs. However, the relationship between cocaine use and HIV infection needs to be better characterized. A study in Communications Biology utilizes humanized mouse models engrafted with human hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells to study the interaction between HIV infection and cocaine-related behaviors. The results show that HIV infection does not impact cocaine preference but inhibits cocaine preference extinction in HIV-infected animals, as the HIV-infected mice spent more time in a cocaine-paired chamber compared to sham-infected mice. In addition, an aversive experience, such as a foot shock, reduced cocaine-seeking behavior in both the sham and HIV groups, showing no increased motivation for seeking cocaine. Increased levels of glial-related proteins and microglia were observed in the hippocampus of cocaine-exposed HIV mice, showing increased neuroinflammation. These results demonstrate the suitability of this new experimental model to study HIV-drug interactions. Additionally, the results open new avenues of research for treating individuals who suffer from HIV and drug addiction, considering the impact of each factor alone or together.
Original reference: Buck, L.A. et al. Commun. Biol. 7, 387 (2024)
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