# Multi-omic signatures of gut dysbiosis and cardiovascular comorbidities associated with HIV infection

> **NIH NIH R01** · ALBERT EINSTEIN COLLEGE OF MEDICINE · 2024 · $700,116

## Abstract

Summary/Abstract
HIV infection has been associated with multiple cardiovascular comorbidities, including atherosclerotic
cardiovascular disease and heart failure. Our long-standing work focusing on subclinical cardiovascular
measures (e.g., carotid artery atherosclerosis and cardiac dysfunction) in the Women’s Interagency HIV Study
(WIHS) and Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study (MACS) (now as a Combined Cohort Study, MWCCS) have
provided insights into the effects of HIV infection, along with chronic inflammation, immune activation, and
antiretroviral therapy (ART) on multiple cardiovascular comorbidities. However, the underlying pathogenesis of
these interrelated cardiovascular comorbidities, and especially their shared biological mechanisms, is not fully
understood. Our existing work among WIHS women has identified several gut bacteria and related host
immunological markers and microbial metabolites associated with carotid artery atherosclerosis. In this study,
we propose to extend our multi-omics work to the MWCCS and expand our cardiovascular outcomes to
multiple vascular and cardiac phenotypes measured through carotid artery ultrasound (carotid artery plaque,
arterial stiffness) and echocardiography (left ventricular [LV)] systolic dysfunction, LV diastolic dysfunction and
LV longitudinal strain). Using a novel multi-faceted analysis among up to 2000 participants (~65% of whom are
HIV+), we propose to apply our multi-omics approaches (metagenomics, transcriptomics, proteomics,
metabolomics) to identify common gut microbial alterations associated with multiple vascular and cardiac
measures and examine their underlying mechanisms in the context of HIV infection. In addition, we will
examine how HIV infection and HIV-specific factors (e.g., long-term specific ART, persistent viremia, CD4
counts) may influence cardiovascular phenotypes through alterations in gut microbiota and related
immunologic and metabolomic features. Findings from this study will improve understanding of common,
overlapping etiologies underlying the multiple cardiovascular comorbidities associated with HIV infection.
These findings will also identify potential therapeutic targets (e.g., microbiota modification) applicable to
various cardiovascular disorders for which current treatments are only partially effective or lacking in this and
other high-risk populations.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10910145
- **Project number:** 5R01HL170904-02
- **Recipient organization:** ALBERT EINSTEIN COLLEGE OF MEDICINE
- **Principal Investigator:** Robert D Burk
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $700,116
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2023-09-01 → 2027-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10910145

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10910145, Multi-omic signatures of gut dysbiosis and cardiovascular comorbidities associated with HIV infection (5R01HL170904-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10910145. Licensed CC0.

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