TAT and HIV-1 infection: Our findings are comparable to earlier studies implicating the role of HIV-1 infection or the HIV-1 Tat protein and other inducers, such as drugs of abuse (methamphetamine) or antiviral drugs, as contributors of astrocyte senescence [14,15] with the acquisition of classical senescence markers along with the increased expression of proinflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress.