# Chronic binge alcohol in SIV infection: impact of adipose tissue stiffness on metabolic dysfunction

> **NIH NIH F31** · LSU HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER · 2021 · $37,889

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
The goal of this Ruth L. Kirschstein NRSA F31-Diversity application is to enhance the predoctoral training of a
young future alcohol researcher. This fellowship opportunity will also provide the applicant with research training
required to conduct High Priority HIV/AIDS-related research. The applicant will achieve skills to conduct research
concentrated on alcohol-mediated metabolic dysfunction in the highly relevant preclinical model of chronic binge
alcohol (CBA) and simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) infection. At-risk alcohol use among people living with
HIV (PLWH) is nearly twice that of the general population. Also, chronic at-risk alcohol use and HIV/SIV are both
independently associated with tissue injury, including adipose tissue injury. Previous work from our laboratory
using a SIV model indicates that CBA administration decreases differentiation of adipose derived stem cells
(ADSC), decreased adipocyte cell size and increases collagen deposition and inflammatory cell infiltration in
asymptomatic male macaques. However, to our knowledge, there have been no previous studies to investigate
the impact of CBA-induced adipose tissue stiffness on adipocyte metabolic capacity and function in the context
of SIV/HIV. Reports in the scientific literature and our previous studies support the central hypothesis that CBA-
induced omental adipose tissue (OmAT) stiffness is mediated by dysregulation of extracellular matrix (ECM)
composition promoting adipocyte metabolic dysregulation in SIV+ rhesus macaques. The proposed studies to
be performed as part of the applicant’s training plan will utilize an integrated approach to assess the following
Specific Aims: 1) Test the hypothesis that CBA-mediated OmAT pro-fibrotic milieu results from an imbalance in
ECM synthesis and degradation in SIV-infected macaques and 2) Test the hypothesis that fibrotic ECM
decreases metabolic capacity of ADSCs isolated from SIV-infected macaques. Findings from the proposed
studies will provide a more comprehensive understanding adipose tissue dysfunction in the context of SIV and
alcohol and will provide the foundation for future translational studies. Completion of the proposed research and
training will facilitate the applicant’s progression to an independent researcher in the field of alcohol-induced
metabolic dysregulation.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10292429
- **Project number:** 5F31AA028459-02
- **Recipient organization:** LSU HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER
- **Principal Investigator:** Jonquil M Poret
- **Activity code:** F31 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $37,889
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2020-05-01 → 2023-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10292429

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10292429, Chronic binge alcohol in SIV infection: impact of adipose tissue stiffness on metabolic dysfunction (5F31AA028459-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10292429. Licensed CC0.

---

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