# Association of Oral Microbiome, HIV, and Pulmonary Function

> **NIH NIH U01** · UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH · 2022 · $576,878

## Abstract

PROJECT ABSTRACT
FY 2022 OAR Strategic Funds are requested to perform a detailed investigation of the relationship of
the oral microbiome, immune response, and HIV to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
COPD, including airway obstruction and emphysema, is an increasing health problem in people with
HIV (PWH) even in the current era of antiretroviral therapy (ART). Our preliminary data suggest that the
oral microbiome is associated with lung function, but we lack a detailed understanding of the role of
particular microbial communities and the potential mechanisms underpinning the association, which
currently impedes development of intervention strategies. We will utilize oral data, microbiome
analyses, blood specimens, and pulmonary function measures already being collected throughout
MWCCS in visits 102 and 103 in order to analyze the relationship of oral health and the oral
microbiome to lung function. We will also perform measurements of peripheral cytokines, inflammatory
responses, and the oral cavity environment to assess potential mechanisms linking the microbiome to
lung health. These investigations will be performed in all individuals who have completed pulmonary
function testing across MWCCS. We will then perform detailed oral evaluations and collect microbial
samples from multiple oral niches in a subset of participants to better delineate relationships of specific
oral health components and lung function at Pitt and UNC. Using a novel technique to identify
immunoglobulin-bound bacteria and fungi, we will identify key microbes that drive host response and
are related to COPD. These investigations will identify potentially modifiable targets contributing to
COPD in PWH.
We will address NIH high priority AIDS-designated topics of: 1) a common and high-burden HIV-
associated comorbidity; 2) interdisciplinary collaborations among experts in pulmonary disease,
microbiome, dental medicine, and analytics; 3) disparities in HIV given impact of social determinants of
health on both lung function and oral health; 4) fundamental discovery in cross-cutting science; and 5)
training the next generation of HIV investigators.
These investigations will build on the previous research conducted by the MWCCS and provide insight
into a novel mechanism of HIV-associated lung disease with potential to develop new interventions to
modulate the oral microbiome to improve pulmonary function.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10657953
- **Project number:** 3U01HL146208-04S1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH
- **Principal Investigator:** Jeremy James Martinson
- **Activity code:** U01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $576,878
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2019-04-01 → 2026-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10657953

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10657953, Association of Oral Microbiome, HIV, and Pulmonary Function (3U01HL146208-04S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10657953. Licensed CC0.

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