How congenital CMV affects nerve myelin proteins
Official title: HCMV infection downregulates nidogen 1 and myelin protein zero
Funded at University of Idaho · NIH-11363906 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at whether CMV infection before birth damages proteins that insulate nerves and may lead to hearing loss in infants and young children.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Idaho NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Moscow, United States) |
| Project start | August 8, 2018 |
| Project end | February 28, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $166,917 |
| NIH project number | 3R01AI139503-07S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11363906 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates would be families of infants or young children diagnosed with congenital CMV, especially those willing to donate tissue or biological samples for research.
✕Less likely to help
People without congenital CMV infection or those whose hearing loss has an unrelated cause are unlikely to benefit directly from this specific project.
What this research studies
Researchers are using human Schwann cells and neurons grown together in three-dimensional lab systems to mimic how nerves are myelinated in the body. They will expose these human cell cultures to CMV or CMV proteins and measure changes in key myelin proteins like myelin protein zero (MPZ) and basement membrane components such as nidogen‑1. The team will compare infected versus uninfected human tissues and cell models to see how CMV alters gene and protein levels important for nerve insulation. This work focuses on human-derived cells and tissue to better model the processes that may cause sensorineural hearing loss after congenital CMV.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could explain how congenital CMV causes nerve damage and point to targets for preventing or treating CMV-related hearing loss in infants.
How similar studies have gone: Prior animal and tissue studies have linked CMV with reduced MPZ and hearing loss, but the use of all‑human 3D Schwann cell–neuron models is a newer, less tested approach.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Idaho
Moscow, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Fortunato, Elizabeth a — University of Idaho
- Study coordinator: Fortunato, Elizabeth a
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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.