Using the CARD8 immune pathway to clear hidden HIV
Harnessing the CARD8 Inflammasome for HIV Reservoir Elimination
This project tests therapies that activate the CARD8 inflammasome to help people living with HIV eliminate hidden, treatment-resistant virus.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Washington University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Saint Louis, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11311885 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If I get involved, researchers focus on a protein called CARD8 that senses HIV's protease and can trigger infected cells to self-destruct. They use drugs that force premature activation of the viral protease (for example, certain NNRTIs) and study whether that activates CARD8 to cause inflammasome-driven cell death. The team will run laboratory experiments and work with patient-derived blood or tissue samples to see whether this approach reduces the pool of latently infected cells. The aim is to create treatments that kill infected cells without relying on T cells or antibodies.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates would be adults living with HIV who are on suppressive ART, have an undetectable viral load, and are willing to donate blood or tissue for research or consider future therapies.
Not a fit: People with uncontrolled viremia, not on ART, or with severe immunosuppression (or those who cannot tolerate the drugs used to trigger protease activation) may not benefit from this approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could shrink or eliminate the hidden HIV reservoir and move toward a drug-free remission for people living with HIV.
How similar studies have performed: This is a novel strategy—other reservoir-reduction methods like latency reversal or immune therapies have shown limited success, and CARD8-driven killing is largely new and untested in patients.
Where this research is happening
Saint Louis, United States
- Washington University — Saint Louis, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Pinzone, Marilia Rita — Washington University
- Study coordinator: Pinzone, Marilia Rita
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.