HIV protein Tat and nerve pain linked to immune sensors (Toll-like receptors)
Official title: HIV Tat-associated Sensory Neuropathy and the Contribution of Toll-like Receptor Pathway
Funded at University of New England · NIH-11161156 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This work tests whether the HIV protein Tat causes painful nerve damage by activating immune sensors called toll-like receptors in people with HIV who have sensory neuropathy.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of New England NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Biddeford, United States) |
| Project start | September 19, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $355,000 |
| NIH project number | 5R01NS132674-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11161156 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates would be adults living with HIV who have symptoms of sensory neuropathy such as pain, numbness, or tingling and who can work with researchers at the University of New England or partner clinics.
✕Less likely to help
People without HIV or whose neuropathy is caused by diabetes, chemotherapy, or other non-HIV mechanisms are less likely to benefit directly from this specific work.
What this research studies
If you have HIV and experience burning, tingling, or numbness in your feet or hands, this project aims to understand why that happens. The team uses special mouse models that can turn on the HIV protein Tat to recreate nerve changes seen in people and will examine how Tat affects the toll-like receptor (TLR) immune pathway. They will combine animal experiments with molecular studies of nerve tissue to map the steps that lead to sensory neuropathy. The hope is to identify points in that chain that could be targeted to reduce or prevent pain.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new targets for treatments that reduce or prevent painful sensory neuropathy in people living with HIV.
How similar studies have gone: Prior animal studies using inducible Tat mouse models have provided evidence that Tat contributes to sensory neuropathy, but human data are limited, so this work builds on promising preclinical findings.
Where this research is happening
-
University of New England
Biddeford, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Cao, Ling — University of New England
- Study coordinator: Cao, Ling
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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.