U01DA053631

Single Cell Transcriptomic and Epigenomic Dissection of Opioid and Cocaine Responses in HIV - Abstract

Substance Use Disorder (SUD) is a common and debilitating condition characterized by compulsive use of an addictive substance, inability to control the use of this substance, and the emergence of withdrawal symptoms in the absence of the substance. Despite great advances in our understanding of changes that occur in various brain regions in the context of addiction/SUD, there is a limited understanding of the diversity of cell types and gene expression profiles of cells within these human brain regions, and how exposures to addictive substances such as opioids and cocaine influence the molecular properties and functions of these cells.

Over 50% of HIV-infected patients experience neurological disorders collectively termed HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND), which ranges from asymptomatic neurocognitive impairment to severely disabling dementia. The use of addictive substances by HIV-infected individuals has been linked to diminished immune function, increased neuroinflammation and neuronal injury, and exacerbation of HAND.

Here, we seek to directly dissect the common and distinct molecular bases of SUD/HIV infection/HAND effects on distinct cell types by systematic profiling, dissection, computational integration, and experimental validation of their transcriptional, epigenomic, and genetic signatures across individuals, brain regions, and cell types.

Aim 1: We use genetic, epigenomic, and transcriptional profiles, generating a total of ~28 million genome-wide maps at the single-cell (SC) level using 2,800 samples with 10,000 cells per sample. These span 7 brain regions (prefrontal cortex, nucleus accumbens, ventral tegmental area, dorsal striatum, insula, amygdala, hippocampus), two assays (scRNA, scATAC), four phenotypic groups (SUD+/HIV+, SUD+/HIV-, SUD-/HIV+, SUD-/HIV-), and a total of 200 subjects (50 in each phenotypic group).

Aim 2: We integrate these datasets to predict driver genes, regulatory regions, variants, and pathways, and the cell types and brain regions where they act.

Aim 3: We validate high-priority findings at the molecular level and functionally validate the highest priority targets' ability to modulate addictive behaviors in mouse models of in vivo cocaine self-administration.

The resulting datasets will help guide the search for new therapeutics by providing detailed therapeutic targets and the specific conditions where they are predicted to act.

The Broad Institute

TO SUPPORT BASIC AND CLINICAL NEUROSCIENCE, BIOMEDICAL, BEHAVIORAL AND SOCIAL SCIENCE, EPIDEMIOLOGIC, HEALTH SERVICES AND HEALTH DISPARITY RESEARCH. TO DEVELOP NEW KNOWLEDGE AND APPROACHES RELATED TO THE PREVENTION, DIAGNOSIS, TREATMENT, ETIOLOGY, AND CONSEQUENCES OF DRUG ABUSE AND ADDICTION, INCLUDING HIV/AIDS. TO SUPPORT RESEARCH TRAINING AND RESEARCH SCIENTIST DEVELOPMENT. TO SUPPORT DISSEMINATION OF RESEARCH FINDINGS. SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION RESEARCH (SBIR) LEGISLATION IS INTENDED TO EXPAND AND IMPROVE THE SBIR PROGRAMS TO EMPHASIZE AND INCREASE PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIALIZATION OF TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPED THROUGH FEDERAL SBIR RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, INCREASE SMALL BUSINESS PARTICIPATION IN FEDERAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, AND FOSTER AND ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATION OF SOCIALLY AND ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS AND WOMEN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS IN THE SBIR PROGRAM. THE LEGISLATION INTENDS THAT THE SMALL BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER (STTR) PROGRAM STIMULATE AND FOSTER SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION THROUGH COOPERATIVE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CARRIED OUT BETWEEN SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS AND RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS, FOSTER TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER BETWEEN SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS AND RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS, TO INCREASE PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIALIZATION OF INNOVATIONS DERIVED FROM FEDERAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, AND FOSTER AND ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATION OF SOCIALLY AND ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS AND WOMEN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS IN TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION.

93.279 - Drug Abuse and Addiction Research Programs

National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) [HHS - NIH]

Cambridge, Massachusetts 021421027 United States

Single Zip Code

Single Cell Opioid Responses in the Context of HIV (SCORCH) Program Expansion: CNS Data Generation for Chronic Opioid, Methamphetamine, and/or Cocaine Exposures (U01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) (RFA-DA-21-019)

Amendment Since initial award the total obligations have increased 410% from $2,461,914 to $12,564,620.