R01AI165351

Rapid Disease Progression and Viral Reservoir Formation in SIV-Infected Infant Macaques - Despite significant reductions in mother-to-child HIV transmission (MTCT), HIV infection during breastfeeding still occurs at unacceptably high rates, contributing to 150,000 new infections annually.

Children are more susceptible to AIDS-related illnesses than adults, with those under two years of age being more likely to succumb to rapid disease progression than any other age group. Rapid progression in infants is characterized by immune dysfunction that can include CD4 T cell depletion, B cell dysfunction, and hypo-gammaglobulinemia (low plasma levels of IgM/IgG).

To investigate different rates of disease progression in infants, SIV-infected (SIV+) infant rhesus macaques have proven to be a valuable model system, recapitulating several aspects of pediatric HIV infection. Using this model, the Sodora Laboratory identified a rapid progressor (RP) phenotype encompassing high SIV plasma viremia and low or undetectable levels of SIV-specific antibodies. Additional analyses revealed that RP infant macaques exhibit elevated and sustained type-1 interferon (IFN-1) levels following the acute stage of the infection, IFN-induced protein expression within B cell follicles (BCF), and that these changes were associated with germinal center dysfunction within lymphoid tissues.

These differences raise important questions about the mechanism by which sustained IFN-1 signaling potentially contributes to rapid HIV/SIV disease progression, as well as the relationship between progression rate and response to combination antiretroviral therapy (CART), immune recovery following treatment, and establishment and maintenance of the latent viral reservoir.

Previous studies from Dr. Chahroudi's laboratory (proposal co-investigator) revealed differences in the latent SIV reservoir in infant compared to adult macaques, including a bias toward naïve CD4 T cells in harboring the majority of latently infected cells in infants. These findings lead to our central hypotheses:

1. Rapid progression in SIV+ infant macaques results from an elevated and prolonged type-1 IFN response that inhibits formation of effective germinal centers in lymph nodes as well as an insufficient anti-SIV humoral immune response.
2. Rapid progression in infants results in delayed immune recovery and a larger latent reservoir during administration of combination antiretroviral therapy.

Aim 1 will assess the ability of transiently administered IFN-1 receptor antagonist, during the post-acute infection period, to influence disease progression and immune outcome in infant macaques. Aims 2 and 3 will evaluate the effectiveness of antiretroviral therapy on immune recovery and latent viral reservoirs in both the RP and typically progressing infant macaques.

Over the last 20 years, the Sodora Laboratory has investigated immune factors that modulate SIV oral transmission and disease progression in the rhesus macaque model, and the experiments outlined here expand upon these previous studies. Undertaking experiments outlined in this proposal has the potential to identify therapeutic targets for HIV+ infants with distinct disease trajectories and will provide insights into immune therapeutic approaches that aid in immune recovery and reservoir reduction.

Seattle Children's Hospital

TO ASSIST PUBLIC AND PRIVATE NONPROFIT INSTITUTIONS AND INDIVIDUALS TO ESTABLISH, EXPAND AND IMPROVE BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH AND RESEARCH TRAINING IN INFECTIOUS DISEASES AND RELATED AREAS, TO CONDUCT DEVELOPMENTAL RESEARCH, TO PRODUCE AND TEST RESEARCH MATERIALS. TO ASSIST PUBLIC, PRIVATE AND COMMERCIAL INSTITUTIONS TO CONDUCT DEVELOPMENTAL RESEARCH, TO PRODUCE AND TEST RESEARCH MATERIALS, TO PROVIDE RESEARCH SERVICES AS REQUIRED BY THE AGENCY FOR PROGRAMS IN INFECTIOUS DISEASES, AND CONTROLLING DISEASE CAUSED BY INFECTIOUS OR PARASITIC AGENTS, ALLERGIC AND IMMUNOLOGIC DISEASES AND RELATED AREAS. PROJECTS RANGE FROM STUDIES OF MICROBIAL PHYSIOLOGY AND ANTIGENIC STRUCTURE TO COLLABORATIVE TRIALS OF EXPERIMENTAL DRUGS AND VACCINES, MECHANISMS OF RESISTANCE TO ANTIBIOTICS AS WELL AS RESEARCH DEALING WITH EPIDEMIOLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS IN HOSPITALIZED PATIENTS OR COMMUNITY POPULATIONS AND PROGRESS IN ALLERGIC AND IMMUNOLOGIC DISEASES. BECAUSE OF THIS DUAL FOCUS, THE PROGRAM ENCOMPASSES BOTH BASIC RESEARCH AND CLINICAL RESEARCH. SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION RESEARCH (SBIR) PROGRAM EXPANDS AND IMPROVES PRIVATE SECTOR PARTICIPATION IN BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH. THE SBIR PROGRAM INTENDS TO INCREASE AND FACILITATE PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIALIZATION OF INNOVATIONS DERIVED FROM FEDERAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, TO INCREASE SMALL BUSINESS PARTICIPATION IN FEDERAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, AND TO FOSTER AND ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATION OF SOCIALLY AND ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS AND WOMEN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS IN TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION. THE SMALL BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER (STTR) PROGRAM STIMULATES AND FOSTERS SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION THROUGH COOPERATIVE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CARRIED OUT BETWEEN SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS AND RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS, TO FOSTER TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER BETWEEN SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS AND RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS, TO INCREASE PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIALIZATION OF INNOVATIONS DERIVED FROM FEDERAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, AND TO FOSTER AND ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATION OF SOCIALLY AND ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS AND WOMEN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS IN TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION. RESEARCH CAREER DEVELOPMENT AWARDS SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF SCIENTISTS DURING THE FORMATIVE STAGES OF THEIR CAREERS. INDIVIDUAL NATIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE AWARDS (NRSAS) ARE MADE DIRECTLY TO APPROVE APPLICANTS FOR RESEARCH TRAINING IN SPECIFIED BIOMEDICAL SHORTAGE AREAS. IN ADDITION, INSTITUTIONAL NATIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE AWARDS ARE MADE TO ENABLE INSTITUTIONS TO SELECT AND MAKE AWARDS TO INDIVIDUALS TO RECEIVE TRAINING UNDER THE AEGIS OF THEIR INSTITUTIONAL PROGRAM.

93.855 - Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) [HHS - NIH]

Seattle, Washington 981011406 United States

Single Zip Code

NIH Research Project Grant (Parent R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) (PA-20-185)

Amendment Since initial award the total obligations have increased 374% from $938,584 to $4,447,199.