# Menopause and hormonal influences on the gut microbiome for CVD risk in HIV

> **NIH NIH K01** · ALBERT EINSTEIN COLLEGE OF MEDICINE · 2022 · $172,464

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
Women with HIV face particularly higher risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) than uninfected women, potentially
related to lower levels of ovarian reserve and sex steroid hormones in women with HIV. Our preliminary findings
in women with HIV suggest that menopause alters the gut microbiome and microbial translocation, which may
contribute to CVD risk. Yet, no studies have investigated the association of menopause and sex hormones with
gut microbiome composition and microbial translocation, nor considered the impact on CVD risk. This is
particularly relevant in the context of HIV infection, where a dysbiotic gut microbiome and microbial translocation
are thought to lead to persistent immune dysregulation and increased risk of CVD and other chronic diseases.
Here, we explore the novel hypothesis that menopause and sex hormones influence CVD risk via modulation of
the gut microbiota and microbial translocation, particularly in HIV infection. Leveraging ongoing gut microbiome
and CVD projects in the Women's Interagency HIV Study (WIHS), this project will: 1) investigate longitudinal
changes in the gut microbiome by menopausal status in women with and without HIV; 2) examine relationships
of sex steroid hormones with the gut microbiome and soluble CD14 (sCD14), a biomarker of microbial
translocation; and 3) examine the associations of menopause- and sex hormone-related gut
microbiome/microbial translocation features and subclinical CVD. These aims will utilize pre-existing data,
including comprehensive demographic and clinical data collected by the WIHS cohort, 16S rRNA gene
sequencing and shotgun sequencing data from stool samples, serum sCD14, and carotid plaque and intima-
media thickness data from B mode ultrasound. We additionally propose new measurement of 14 sex steroid
hormones in serum, including adrenal precursors, androgens, and estrogens, using gold standard mass
spectrometry assays, in 200 post-menopausal women. To facilitate my career development, I will also pursue
training in the following areas: 1) HIV and CVD science; 2) Reproductive endocrinology; 3) Bioinformatic and
statistical methods; 4) Clinical research operations; and 5) Grant development skills. The proposed study will
uncover novel microbiome-related connections between menopause, sex hormones, and subclinical CVD in
women with and without HIV. The training and research proposed in this award will directly set the stage for a
larger study in the WIHS, to more comprehensively assess longitudinal changes in the gut microbiome, microbial
translocation, and other cardiovascular risk biomarkers during the menopausal transition, and relate longitudinal
trajectories and microbiome-biomarker interactions to HIV infection and CVD progression; as well as support
future studies in other populations (e.g. men with HIV, non-HIV cohorts) and in clinical trials. Ultimately, this
research may lead to new avenues of therapeutic intervention targeting the gut microbi...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10481848
- **Project number:** 5K01HL160146-02
- **Recipient organization:** ALBERT EINSTEIN COLLEGE OF MEDICINE
- **Principal Investigator:** Brandilyn A Peters
- **Activity code:** K01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $172,464
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2021-09-15 → 2025-08-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10481848

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10481848, Menopause and hormonal influences on the gut microbiome for CVD risk in HIV (5K01HL160146-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10481848. Licensed CC0.

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