How genital herpes (HSV-2) and HIV affect each other
Mechanisms Underlying the HIV-HSV-2 Syndemic
['FUNDING_R01'] · ALBERT EINSTEIN COLLEGE OF MEDICINE · NIH-11248860
This research looks at whether HSV-2 changes CD4 immune cells in ways that make HIV more likely to replicate or reactivate in people living with HIV.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | ALBERT EINSTEIN COLLEGE OF MEDICINE (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (BRONX, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11248860 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
Researchers will study blood-derived CD4+ T cells and lab-grown HIV-latent T cell lines exposed to HSV-2 to see how gene activity and chromatin accessibility change. They will use RNA sequencing and ATAC-seq to identify genes and regulatory elements altered by HSV-2, focusing on a long noncoding RNA called MALAT1. The team will test how removing or modifying MALAT1 affects HIV replication and latency reversal after HSV-2 exposure in cell models and human samples. The work aims to map the molecular steps by which HSV-2 promotes HIV activity so future treatments could interrupt that process.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People living with HIV who also have genital herpes (HSV-2) and who can provide blood or tissue samples for research would be the ideal participants.
Not a fit: People without HIV or without HSV-2, and those seeking immediate clinical treatment rather than contributing samples, are unlikely to receive direct benefits from this lab-focused research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal targets for therapies that prevent HSV-2 from triggering HIV reactivation, potentially reducing HIV transmission and disease progression.
How similar studies have performed: Prior laboratory work, including the investigators' own studies, has shown HSV-2 can boost HIV replication and has implicated MALAT1, but the exact molecular pathway is still being worked out.
Where this research is happening
BRONX, UNITED STATES
- ALBERT EINSTEIN COLLEGE OF MEDICINE — BRONX, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: HEROLD, BETSY C. — ALBERT EINSTEIN COLLEGE OF MEDICINE
- Study coordinator: HEROLD, BETSY C.
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