Helping hidden HIV-infected cells be cleared when the virus wakes up
Regulation of Cell Death in HIV Reservoirs
['FUNDING_R01'] · METHODIST HOSPITAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE · NIH-11294146
This project tests ways to wake up hidden HIV and block infected cells' survival signals so those cells die, aiming to help people living with HIV on effective treatment.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | METHODIST HOSPITAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (HOUSTON, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11294146 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
Researchers will study why latently infected immune cells survive when HIV is reactivated and which cell survival pathways protect them. They will perform laboratory experiments using infected T cells and likely samples from people with HIV to measure apoptosis, autophagy, and anti-apoptotic proteins. The team will try combinations of latency-reversing agents and drugs that inhibit pro-survival mechanisms to see which approaches make reservoir cells more likely to die. Results are intended to point toward strategies that could be tested in future clinical trials to reduce the long-lived HIV reservoir.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are people living with HIV who are on suppressive antiretroviral therapy and willing to provide blood or tissue samples or consider enrollment in future eradication trials.
Not a fit: People who are not on antiretroviral therapy, who have untreated HIV, or who do not want to provide samples are unlikely to benefit directly from this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help eliminate hidden HIV-infected cells and lower the chance of viral rebound after stopping antiretroviral therapy.
How similar studies have performed: Previous shock-and-kill approaches have not cleared reservoirs in patients, and while blocking cell survival pathways has shown promise in lab studies, it has not yet been proven in people.
Where this research is happening
HOUSTON, UNITED STATES
- METHODIST HOSPITAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE — HOUSTON, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: WANG, JIN — METHODIST HOSPITAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE
- Study coordinator: WANG, JIN
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.
Conditions: Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome Virus, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome Virus