# Roles of endothelial cells in HIV infection and latency in resting CD4+ T cells

> **NIH NIH R15** · CALVIN UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $362,411

## Abstract

Project Summary
 In most patients with HIV-1 infection, antiretroviral therapy (ART) successfully suppresses viral loads
and restores CD4+ T cell numbers. However, lifelong therapy is required to maintain viral suppression,
primarily due to a major latent reservoir in resting CD4+ T cells. The latent reservoir poses a great barrier to
HIV cure and ensures viral persistence in patients. Knowledge about how such a latent reservoir is formed is
quite limited. A more complete understanding of the mechanisms contributing to the establishment of the
reservoir will impact the strategies in battling viral persistence.
 Microenvironment of the lymphoid tissue and cell-cell interactions in vivo played important roles in
latency formation in resting CD4+ T cells. It was found that endothelial cells, which physiologically interact
readily with T cells in the lymphoid tissues in vivo, promote both productive and latent HIV infection in resting
CD4+ T cells and may play a significant role in latency formation in these cells in vivo.
 Having established the importance of endothelial cells (EC) in HIV infection and latency formation, this
study is to further elucidate the effects of different types of endothelial cells as well as virus types on resting
and activated T cells in HIV infection and latency formation, as well as exploring mechanisms involved in
interactions between endothelial cells and CD4+ T cells. The specific aims of the proposal are:
1. To investigate the effect of intestinal EC on HIV infection of resting and activated CD4+ T cells.
2. To identify potential cellular factors and additional cytokines involved in EC stimulation of resting CD4+ T
cells.
3. To compare infection of R5-tropic virus with X4-tropic virus in infection of EC stimulated resting and
activated CD4+ T cells.
 The knowledge gained from this study will significantly improve the understanding of HIV latent
reservoir formation and will influence the strategies in battling viral persistence. It will also provide insight into
the mechanisms contributing to HIV infection of CD4+ T cells and may contribute to potential innovative
intervention.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10012747
- **Project number:** 2R15AI096991-03
- **Recipient organization:** CALVIN UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Anding Shen
- **Activity code:** R15 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $362,411
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 2011-08-01 → 2024-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10012747

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10012747, Roles of endothelial cells in HIV infection and latency in resting CD4+ T cells (2R15AI096991-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10012747. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*