Upon infection, glial cells have been shown to release inflammatory cytokines (e.g., TNFα, interleukin-1β or interferon-γ), neurotoxic mediators (e.g., ROS, nitric oxide or glutamate) and viral proteins (namely « virotoxins », as the HIV glycoprotein gp120), resulting in an inflammatory, neurotoxic, and oxidative context, harmful and possibly lethal for neurons and deleterious for synaptic plasticity and astrocyte neuroprotective functions [84]. This evidence concerns the gene ITIH4 and infection.