# Alcohol & Metabolic Comorbidities in PLWHA; Evidence-Driven Interventions

> **NIH NIH UH3** · LSU HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER · 2021 · $352,438

## Abstract

Abstract
Chronic alcohol consumption is the most common and costly form of substance abuse in the United States and
is highly prevalent in persons living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). Antiretroviral therapy (ART) has greatly reduced
HIV/AIDS mortality, and HIV infection is emerging as a chronic disease with enhanced risk for metabolic
comorbidities like insulin resistance and prediabetes. Chronic hazardous alcohol drinking (AUDIT score ≥5) is
also a risk factor for these comorbidities. Our studies in chronic binge alcohol (CBA) administered simian
immunodeficiency virus (SIV)-infected (CBA/SIV) male rhesus macaques (ART-treated and -naïve) have
shown that dysfunctional skeletal muscle (SKM) is associated with impaired glucose regulation despite normal
fasting glycemia. This UH2UH3 application proposes to leverage our ongoing translational study, (P60
AA009803; PI: Molina) Aging in Louisiana: Immunosenescence, hiV, & socioEnvironmental factors (ALIVE)
Study in a cohort of in-care adult PLWHA to translate our findings from the macaque model. We propose a
combined two phase cross-sectional and prospective study to test the prediction that a higher proportion of
PLWHA with AUDIT ≥5 with subclinical fasting dysglycemia will present with impaired oral glucose tolerance.
We hypothesize that dysfunctional metabolic SKM and loss of mitochondrial homeostatic mechanisms are
important mechanisms underlying this metabolic comorbidity. Studies proposed in the UH2 phase aim to
validate this “preintervention” hypothesis. Studies proposed in the UH3 phase will test the hypothesis that SKM
metabolic function and mitochondrial homeostasis can be enhanced (or restored) by aerobic exercise,
improving glycemic control. The hypotheses to be tested are based on evidence derived from our
comprehensive characterization of metabolic dysregulation in CBA/SIV macaques and on preliminary findings
obtained from interim analysis of data collected from PLWHA recruited to our ALIVE study. Our bi-directional
translational approach ensures relevance of our findings from non-human primates to the human condition.
The proposed study will be conducted by an interdisciplinary team of investigators with established expertise
on studies of the impact of alcohol on metabolic comorbidities in the SIV/HIV infected host. This project will
benefit from the rich scientific environment, and outstanding Experimental and Analytical Resource Cores of
the LSUHSC Comprehensive Alcohol Research Center. The expected results should have a profound impact
on ameliorating the risk of developing metabolic comorbidities that impose a significant burden on the health
care of PLWHA. These study results will serve to inform larger scale interventions promoting a more rigorous
approach to identification of at-risk PLWHA that may benefit from preventive measures to increase physical
activity and modify behavior leading to improved health, quality of life, and possibly decreased hazardous
alcohol drinking.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10247626
- **Project number:** 5UH3AA026198-05
- **Recipient organization:** LSU HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER
- **Principal Investigator:** PATRICIA E. MOLINA
- **Activity code:** UH3 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $352,438
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2017-09-15 → 2023-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10247626

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10247626, Alcohol & Metabolic Comorbidities in PLWHA; Evidence-Driven Interventions (5UH3AA026198-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10247626. Licensed CC0.

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