Targeting indoleamine pathways to boost immunity in people with HIV and tuberculosis
Modulating Indoleamines to Optimize Immunity in the Setting of Mtb/HIV Co-infection
This project tests whether blocking an enzyme called IDO can strengthen immune responses against tuberculosis in the setting of HIV, using animal models that mirror human disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Texas Biomedical Research Institute NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Antonio, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11326707 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You should know researchers are using rhesus macaque models that mimic people living with HIV and co-infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis to study immune problems that lead to TB. They give antiretroviral therapy at different times to reproduce the range of human treatment scenarios and then block the IDO pathway to see whether T cells and other immune responses improve. Scientists follow animals over time and examine blood and tissue samples to track infection, immune activation, and TB outcomes. The goal is to learn whether this approach could translate into therapies that reduce TB risk or severity for people with HIV.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: The findings would be most relevant to people living with HIV who are co-infected with or at high risk for tuberculosis, particularly those receiving antiretroviral therapy.
Not a fit: People without HIV or whose TB is driven by factors unrelated to IDO-mediated immune dysfunction may be unlikely to benefit from this specific approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could lead to treatments that improve immune control of TB in people living with HIV and reduce TB-related illness and deaths.
How similar studies have performed: Preclinical work in macaques shows that blocking the IDO pathway can improve TB and HIV outcomes in single-infection models, but translation to human trials remains limited.
Where this research is happening
San Antonio, United States
- Texas Biomedical Research Institute — San Antonio, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mehra, Smriti — Texas Biomedical Research Institute
- Study coordinator: Mehra, Smriti
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.