Blocking harmful cell communication in the brain to stop damage from hidden HIV
Targeting cell-to-cell communication to prevent bystander damage mediated by viral reservoirs
Testing whether stopping signals between brain cells can prevent cognitive and motor damage in people living with HIV on long-term antiretroviral therapy.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Texas Med Br Galveston NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Galveston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11258002 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers are focusing on a small group of HIV-infected brain cells called astrocytes that can cause damage to nearby healthy cells even when virus replication is suppressed by ART. They will study human brain tissue and use laboratory models to understand how connexin-containing channels (gap junctions and hemichannels) let harmful signals spread. The team plans to test approaches that block these channels or the damaging signals they carry to protect uninfected brain cells. This work combines long-term ART human brain data with experiments aimed at therapies that could prevent bystander injury.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults living with HIV on long-term antiretroviral therapy, particularly those with cognitive or motor symptoms, would be the most relevant participants or beneficiaries.
Not a fit: People without HIV or whose neurologic symptoms stem from non-HIV causes are unlikely to benefit directly from this research in the near term.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could reduce or prevent persistent HIV-related thinking, memory, and movement problems that occur despite effective ART.
How similar studies have performed: Human brain analyses and lab models have suggested connexin channels amplify bystander damage and blocking them showed promise in preclinical work, but benefit in people has not yet been proven.
Where this research is happening
Galveston, United States
- University of Texas Med Br Galveston — Galveston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Eugenin, Eliseo a — University of Texas Med Br Galveston
- Study coordinator: Eugenin, Eliseo a
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.