Different HIV clades, different Tat, very different dementia rates

[leit]

A link between Tat (of clade B of HIV-1, which the majority of researchers usually base their studies on) and dementia has already got several confirmations.
This new study, showing that clade C Tat causes far lower neurological damages than clade B Tat, seems to me a very strong corroboration of the role of the latter in causing the so called "HIV dementia", that might so more precisely be a "clade B HIV-1 dementia".

[emeraldize]

Hi Leit,

This is an interesting study. I am wondering if the author made a mistake in writing the release, or, I'm not picking something up. Note the following excerpt:

The next step, and the focus of the current study, was to compare the two viruses in a single host to determine whether this key change in the amino acid sequence makes a practical difference in HIV's neurotoxicity.

To find out, the researchers injected either clade B or clade C HIV into the brain of a special strain of immunodeficient mice. After six days--enough time for the viruses to cause neurologic damage--the mice were tested in a complex water maze that challenged their long term memory as well as their short term working memory (the type that temporarily stores and manages the information needed to carry out complex cognitive tasks, such as learning, reasoning, and comprehension).

Mice infected with clade B performed significantly worse in the maze than those infected with clade C.

What's throwing me (in bold) is that it's written they would compare the Clades in a single host, but in fact they compare them, understandably, in separate hosts and compare their performances in maze testing. This is a very prestigious institution and I'm surprised it's written this way, or, there's something I'm not picking up.

If you or anyone else see this differently, please let me know.

Despite this glitch, it's fascinating research and I hope to read more about it.

Em

[Assurbanipal]

What's throwing me (in bold) is that it's written they would compare the Clades in a single host, but in fact they compare them, understandably, in separate hosts and compare their performances in maze testing. This is a very prestigious institution and I'm surprised it's written this way, or, there's something I'm not picking up.

I think that "host" often refers to a species rather than to individual members of the species in biological writing. 

"Biology The animal or plant on which or in which another organism lives.  "
http://education.yahoo.com/reference/dictionary/entry/host

At least that's my vague recollection from a genetics course a long time ago.

Regards
A

[Ann]

What I want to know is how does one discover what clade they have?

[emeraldize]

Assurbanipal - Thanks. THAT makes sense.

Ann - When I had genotyping done the clade was revealed.

[leit]

I am wondering if the author made a mistake in writing the release, or, I'm not picking something up.

Hi "emeraldize"!

I believe "Assurbanipal" is right.

[emeraldize]

Yes, thanks to both of you. I appreciate the feedback very much.

[RapidRod]

Ann, subtypes and clades are the same.

Rodney