Impact of HIV-1 infection on the microglia transcriptome: induction of microRNA-23b leads to G3BP2-mediated stress granules assembly disruption

MicroRNA-23b is upregulated in primary microglia infected ex vivo with HIV-1, and it targets downregulated g3bp2 to disrupt G3BP2-mediated stress granule assembly.

• Why it matters: Microglia can serve as HIV reservoirs and drive HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders even under antiretroviral therapy, but how HIV reshapes microglial stress responses is unclear.
• What they did: Primary microglia were infected ex vivo with HIV-1 and their transcriptome and microRNA profiles were analyzed; MicroRNA-23b mimics and inhibition were tested in stress-induced monocyte-derived microglial cells (MDMi).
• The result: MicroRNA-23b mimic reduced G3BP2 expression and stress granule assembly, leaving few stress granules in infected MDMi, while MicroRNA-23b inhibition partially restored stress granule formation and reduced HIV-1 replication.

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