How HIV proteins harm lung blood vessels
Official title: Role of HIV gp120 and Nef in Transcriptome Dysregulation and Pulmonary Vascular Remodeling
Funded at Texas Tech University Health Scis Center · NIH-11232323 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This research tests whether HIV proteins change lung blood-vessel cells and help cause pulmonary hypertension in people living with HIV.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Texas Tech University Health Scis Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Lubbock, United States) |
| Project start | December 1, 2023 |
| Project end | November 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $681,085 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL172709-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11232323 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People living with HIV, especially those with signs of pulmonary hypertension or known HIV genetic variants, would be the main patients relevant to this research.
✕Less likely to help
People without HIV or whose lung problems have unrelated causes are unlikely to benefit directly from this project.
What this research studies
This project looks at how two HIV proteins, gp120 and Nef, and specific viral genetic differences affect cells that line and surround blood vessels in the lungs. The team will use human vascular cells grown in the lab and humanized mice to measure vessel constriction and changes in lung blood flow. They will also use single-cell RNA sequencing and single-cell ATAC sequencing to see which genes are turned on or off in different lung vascular cell types. The goal is to link viral variants and antiretroviral therapy effects to the cell-level changes that lead to pulmonary hypertension in people living with HIV.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to viral markers and biological pathways to prevent or better treat pulmonary hypertension in people living with HIV.
How similar studies have gone: Prior clinical and lab studies have linked HIV infection and viral proteins to pulmonary hypertension, but combining single-cell genomics with humanized mouse models to tie specific HIV polymorphisms to vascular remodeling is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
-
Texas Tech University Health Scis Center
Lubbock, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Almodovar, Sharilyn — Texas Tech University Health Scis Center
- Study coordinator: Almodovar, Sharilyn
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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.