# Examining Immune Senescence in PLWH and HCV, utilizing the ACTG BIRTH Cohort samples

> **NIH NIH UM1** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES · 2024 · $370,632

## Abstract

Abstract
Infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a chronic viral disease process. Early in
infection, gut permeability is increased due to translocation of bacterial products. This leads to
systemic immune activation, which is reduced but not eliminated with effective antiretroviral
therapy. The presence of concomitant chronic viral hepatitis infection with hepatitis C (HCV)
may exacerbate systemic immune activation, via activation of hepatic macrophages with
proinflammatory downstream effects. It has been suggested that immune senescence or
premature aging of immune function accompanies these events and is itself a precursor to
clinical outcomes such as accelerated cardiovascular disease and neurocognitive impairment.
Immune senescence may be assessed using a variety of measures including DNA methylation,
telomere shortening, and changes in T-cell subsets. Cross-sectional analyses have reported
varying results depending upon the cohort studied and the method utilized. In this application,
we seek to compare and contrast different methods of assessing immune senescence in the
setting of HCV/HIV coinfection. Using longitudinal samples from a well established, diverse, and
well clinically characterized cohort, the BIRTH Study (ACTG 5294), we propose to evaluate
biomarkers of immune senescence and relate them to degree of hepatic fibrosis. We will
examine the relationship of HCV cure to determine how senescence biomarkers change, and
we will attempt to link immune senescence to alterations in Treg subpopulations.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10846035
- **Project number:** 3UM1AI068636-18S3
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES
- **Principal Investigator:** Judith S. Currier
- **Activity code:** UM1 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $370,632
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2006-06-29 → 2027-11-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10846035

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10846035, Examining Immune Senescence in PLWH and HCV, utilizing the ACTG BIRTH Cohort samples (3UM1AI068636-18S3). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-27 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10846035. Licensed CC0.

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