# Compartmentalized CSF viral escape and the CNS HIV reservoir

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO · 2020 · $360,447

## Abstract

Abstract
Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) HIV escape refers to clinical settings in which the magnitude of central nervous
system (CNS) HIV infection, reflected in the CSF HIV RNA concentration, is equal to or exceeds the HIV RNA
concentration measured in blood during antiretroviral therapy (ART). Three types of CSF escape have been
identified: Neurosymptomatic, in which there is clear clinical evidence of CNS injury, Asymptomatic without
documented injury, and Secondary provoked by a non-HIV CNS infection. Each of these develops in a setting
where ART exerts less effect on CNS than systemic HIV infection, thereby permitting detailed examination of a
relatively ‘isolated’ CNS viral population. This Supplemental proposal extends our ongoing research project in
two ways. Specific Aim S1 introduces two rare and invaluable sample sets for molecular virological analysis to
define the origins of CSF HIV populations in Neurosymptomatic and Secondary CSF Escape. Specific Aim S2
supports use of novel technology to measure a large array of CSF and blood biomarkers to better characterize
the inflammatory and neurological features of all three types of CSF escape. Overall, these Supplementary
studies will advance our understanding of the exchange between systemic and CNS HIV infection, including
the contributions to from a CNS HIV reservoir and ongoing seeding from the blood. This understanding will
advance the clinical recognition, diagnosis and management of these unusual aspects of treated HIV, and
provide broader insights into the origins, pathogenesis and treatment of CNS HIV infections.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10014060
- **Project number:** 3R01NS094067-05S1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO
- **Principal Investigator:** RICHARD W. PRICE
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $360,447
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2015-09-30 → 2021-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10014060

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10014060, Compartmentalized CSF viral escape and the CNS HIV reservoir (3R01NS094067-05S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10014060. Licensed CC0.

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