Tiny blood particles from people with HIV that may drive artery disease
The role of extracellular vesicle-associated MicroRNAs in HIV-associated atherosclerosis
This looks at whether tiny particles in the blood of people living with HIV carry microRNAs that can promote artery plaque and heart disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Miami School of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Coral Gables, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11248366 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers take blood plasma from people living with HIV on long-term antiretroviral therapy and isolate extracellular vesicles (tiny particles) from the plasma, comparing them to plasma without these particles. They deliver these human-derived vesicle fractions into mice that are prone to develop atherosclerosis to see if the HIV-related vesicles worsen plaque formation. The team identifies which microRNAs the vesicles carry and studies how those signals affect artery wall cells and bone marrow progenitor cells. The goal is to trace the chain of events that could explain why people with HIV have higher rates of cardiovascular disease.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults living with HIV—particularly those on stable ART with undetectable viral loads—who can donate blood for biomarker and vesicle analysis.
Not a fit: People without HIV or those whose heart problems are unrelated to atherosclerosis are unlikely to gain direct benefit from this specific line of research in the near term.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could point to blood-borne microRNA signals as biomarkers or targets to help lower heart disease risk in people living with HIV.
How similar studies have performed: Prior research shows extracellular vesicles can affect blood vessels, but using human HIV-derived vesicles in animal models to pinpoint microRNA drivers is a relatively new and emerging approach.
Where this research is happening
Coral Gables, United States
- University of Miami School of Medicine — Coral Gables, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Dong, Chunming — University of Miami School of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Dong, Chunming
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.