How CMV changes the way human cells make fats
Mechanisms of Human Cytomegalovirus Reprogramming of Lipid Metabolism
['FUNDING_R01'] · UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA · NIH-11103209
This research looks at how the cytomegalovirus (CMV) rewires human cells to make new kinds of fats that the virus needs to grow, with the goal of finding new ways to stop the infection in babies and people with weak immune systems.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (TUCSON, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11103209 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
Researchers will study human cytomegalovirus effects in lab-grown human cells to map which lipids rise during infection and how those lipids help the virus. They will use detailed lipid profiling to identify very-long-chain phospholipids that appear only in infected cells. The team will probe viral and host genes (including viral proteins pUL37x1 and pUL38) using molecular tools such as CRISPR to see which changes drive lipid production. Functional tests will show whether blocking those pathways reduces viral replication.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: The research is relevant to people affected by CMV—especially newborns with congenital CMV and immunocompromised adults—who could benefit from future therapies informed by this work.
Not a fit: People without CMV infection or with unrelated medical issues are unlikely to directly benefit from this basic laboratory research in the near term.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could reveal new targets for drugs that block CMV by stopping the specific lipids the virus depends on.
How similar studies have performed: Other studies show many viruses reprogram host lipid metabolism, but the specific very-long-chain lipids identified here and the roles of pUL37x1/pUL38 are new and still being worked out.
Where this research is happening
TUCSON, UNITED STATES
- UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA — TUCSON, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: PURDY, JOHN GERARD — UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA
- Study coordinator: PURDY, JOHN GERARD
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: CMV infection