# Modeling intestinal dysfunction in HIV infection with organoid technology

> **NIH NIH R01** · J. DAVID GLADSTONE INSTITUTES · 2020 · $811,114

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
Disruption of intestinal epithelial barrier function is an important cause of HIV-associated chronic immune
activation but underlying molecular mechanisms are not known. The central hypothesis of this proposal is that
HIV infection impairs the regenerative capacity of intestinal stem cells, resulting in long-lasting barrier
dysfunction. This hypothesis was formulated on the basis of available data in the literature showing that in
inflammatory bowel diseases, the intestinal stem cell pool and the compositional balance of intestinal cell types
is disrupted, and our own published results showing intestinal stem cell proliferation is impaired in a subgroup of
HIV+ patients with high systemic inflammation and poor clinical outcome. Intestinal stem cell function can be
tested in vitro by expanding them into self-organizing three-dimensional structures termed “organoids”. They can
be further differentiated into all intestinal epithelial cell types. This proposal leverages access to intestinal stem
cells through intestinal biopsies by Dr. Ma Somsouk, an expert in HIV-associated gut inflammation, and expertise
in organoid growth and basic HIV virology present in Dr. Melanie Ott's laboratory to examine intestinal stem cell
function and organoid growth in HIV infection. The central hypothesis will be tested in two specific aims: 1) To
define how HIV infection influences intestinal stem cell function in T cell: organoid co-culture experiments. The
working hypothesis is that early contact between intestinal stem cells and HIV-infected T cells leads to stem cell
damage, impaired gut epithelial regeneration and long-lasting barrier dysfunction. This hypothesis will be tested
in T cell: organoid co-culture models established in the Ott lab. We will determine the effect of HIV-infected T
cells on organoid growth, differentiation, barrier function and transcription at the single-cell level. Candidate
factors such as TNF-α or factors emerging from our studies will be added directly to organoid culture media to
analyze effects on growth and differentiation. 2) To determine the effects of chronic HIV infection on intestinal
stem cell function. Our working hypothesis is that intestinal stem cell function is altered in HIV+ individuals,
especially those with late onset of treatment and poor immunological recovery. This hypothesis will be tested by
comparing growth and differentiation of organoids grown from HIV-infected individuals with different onset of
treatment or uninfected individuals using morphological, functional and single-cell RNA sequencing analysis.
This proposal will provide detailed insight into fundamental processes within the gastrointestinal tract that impact
infection, persistence, and comorbidities in people living with HIV and is as such well aligned with this RFA. It is
innovative because it shifts the focus to intestinal stem cells and their ability to renew the gut epithelium for
proper barrier functions. It also uses innovative new or...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9894660
- **Project number:** 1R01DK123746-01
- **Recipient organization:** J. DAVID GLADSTONE INSTITUTES
- **Principal Investigator:** Melanie Maria Ott
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $811,114
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-01-10 → 2024-12-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9894660

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9894660, Modeling intestinal dysfunction in HIV infection with organoid technology (1R01DK123746-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9894660. Licensed CC0.

---

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