Description
Transactivatoroftranscription(TAT)proteinisproducedbyHIV-1andisinvolvedintheinductionofHIV-associatedneurologicdisorders(HAND).TATisaneurotoxinthatinfectsneurons,whichHIVisunabletodo.Inneurons,TATincreasesthenumberofinhibitorysynapsesanddecreasesthenumberofexcitatorysynapsesinaCa2+-dependentmanner.TATalsoactivatesmicrogliaandothermyeloidcells,disruptingcytokine/chemokinehomeostasisandinducingneuroinflammation.Thispeptidesequence(YGRKKRRQRRRGYGRKKRRQRRRG)representstwoback-to-backproteintransduction(cell-penetrating)domainsofTAT.