Fig. 2

HIV-1 infection in human brain pericytes under low (left panel) and high (right panel) occludin levels. A decrease in occludin leads to NAD + depletion, decreasing SIRT1 phosphorylation and increasing NF-κB acetylation, which leads to an increase in HIV-1 replication. In contrast, elevated occludin levels act as an HIV-1 inhibitor by increasing NAD+, following with an increase in phosphorylation of SIRT1 and a decrease in NF-κB acetylation. Moreover, elevated occludin levels increase the expression of interferon-stimulates genes (ISGs) such as the antiviral OAS gene family which degrades viral RNA and provides antiviral protection