# Neuro HPA Project 1

> **NIH NIH U54** · EMORY UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $295,551

## Abstract

PROJECT 1: ABSTRACT
Sex hormones are influential in setting the tone of immune responses and estradiol exhibits a particularly
strong influence that varies across the life cycle in women. Although largely anti-inflammatory and protective,
estradiol can have divergent effects. In addition, the influence and availability of estradiol changes with aging,
most notably with the menopause transition. Furthermore, exposure to stressors can impact the functions of
sex hormones, including estradiol. Women living with HIV (WLH) may be more vulnerable to the effects of
stress and trauma exposure on hormone function and precipitated changes may manifest as enhanced
inflammatory signaling. The proposed studies will further our understanding of the biology of aging, and
specifically the prognosis of WLH, and characterize the link between immunosenescence and
endocrinesenescence. The planned research will define estrogen deficiency at both the systemic and receptor
level and evaluate the extent to which global variation in these parameters predicts pro-inflammatory pathways
in WLH. We will conduct clinical interviews to assess trauma exposure and trauma-related hyperarousal to
examine how these factors interact with HIV to exacerbate estrogen deficiency and inflammation.
Furthermore, we will characterize the influence of trauma exposure and estrogen receptor function on
inflammation at the molecular level in WLH. Overall, the data generated from this proposal will provide critical
information about the influence of estradiol signaling on inflammation in WLH and provide mechanistic insight
more broadly into the influence of estradiol receptor function on inflammation. Because trauma exposure and
its related adverse mental health outcomes (i.e. posttraumatic stress disorder; PTSD) are poorly controlled in
WLH, and PTSD has dangerous implications for HIV pathogenesis and transmission, it is of critical importance
to identify the effects of trauma and PTSD comorbidity with HIV in order to titrate the most effective treatment
approaches for this complex comorbidity.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9938413
- **Project number:** 5U54AG062334-03
- **Recipient organization:** EMORY UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Vasiliki Michopoulos
- **Activity code:** U54 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $295,551
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-09-30 → 2023-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9938413

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9938413, Neuro HPA Project 1 (5U54AG062334-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9938413. Licensed CC0.

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