How HIV helps spread the Kaposi sarcoma virus in the mouth
Role of HIV in KSHV oral transmission
['FUNDING_R01'] · CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY · NIH-11167779
This work checks if saliva from people living with HIV helps the virus that causes Kaposi sarcoma (KSHV) infect cells in the mouth.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (CLEVELAND, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11167779 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
You would learn that researchers grow a 3‑D lab model that mimics the layered lining of the mouth and expose it to the Kaposi sarcoma virus (KSHV) with and without saliva-derived exosomes from people living with HIV. They compare how well the virus enters and spreads through the tissue and analyze whether HIV-related molecules, like TAR RNA inside exosomes, make infection more likely. The team uses primary and immortalized human oral epithelial cells and purified exosomes from HIV-positive saliva or HIV-infected T cell cultures to reproduce the earliest steps of oral infection. Because there is no good animal model, these lab-grown human tissue models let scientists study transmission in ways that couldn't be done before.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People living with HIV who can provide saliva samples, especially those with or at risk for Kaposi sarcoma, would be relevant contributors to this work.
Not a fit: People without HIV or those who cannot provide saliva samples are unlikely to directly participate or benefit from this specific project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could reveal how HIV-related changes in saliva promote oral spread of KSHV and point to new ways to block transmission or lower Kaposi sarcoma risk.
How similar studies have performed: Previous laboratory work, including by this team, has shown that HIV-positive saliva exosomes can increase KSHV infectivity in cell and 3-D tissue models, but translating those findings into prevention or treatment is new.
Where this research is happening
CLEVELAND, UNITED STATES
- CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY — CLEVELAND, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: WANG, BINGCHENG — CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY
- Study coordinator: WANG, BINGCHENG
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