Nicotine's effects on brain inflammation in people living with HIV
Nicotine and NLRP3 Inflammasome in HIV-1-Associated CNS Inflammation
This project looks at whether nicotine from smoking makes brain inflammation worse in people living with HIV, which could harm thinking and memory.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11294350 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This research explores whether nicotine from smoking makes brain inflammation worse in people living with HIV and contributes to thinking and memory problems. Researchers will expose human tonsil tissue and lab-grown human microglia (brain immune cells) to HIV and nicotine in the lab to see how the NLRP3 inflammasome responds. They will use a new humanized mouse model with human cells to track inflammasome activity in different brain regions during latent and active infection. Finally, scientists will compare markers of NLRP3 activation in donated post-mortem brain samples from people with HIV who smoked versus those who did not.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people living with HIV who currently smoke or have a history of smoking and who could donate samples or enroll in related future studies.
Not a fit: People without HIV or those who have never used tobacco are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could suggest ways to reduce brain inflammation in people with HIV who smoke, potentially protecting thinking and memory.
How similar studies have performed: Prior studies have linked inflammation and the NLRP3 inflammasome to HIV-related brain problems, but applying these methods to nicotine's effects in human tissues and a humanized mouse model is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Swartz, Talia H — Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
- Study coordinator: Swartz, Talia H
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.