# The HIV Reservoir in Women: Implications for HIV cure interventions

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIV OF NORTH CAROLINA CHAPEL HILL · 2020 · $549,711

## Abstract

Abstract
 Persistent HIV infection of long lived resting memory CD4+ T-cells, unresponsive to current anti-
retroviral therapy (ART) and unaffected by immune surveillance remains a formidable barrier to efforts to
achieve HIV eradication. The latent state of the virus is established within days of infection, and decays very
slowly with a half-life of 40-44 months, necessitating life-long antiviral therapy to suppress recrudescence of
infection. Modalities to disrupt persistent HIV infection have become a priority in the quest to cure HIV
infection. Such an undertaking requires broad knowledge of the nature of the reservoir in all populations of
people. However, our knowledge of the reservoir in women is greatly limited as this group is traditionally under-
represented in HIV cure related studies. Several characteristics associated with HIV infection in women, such
as low viremia during early infection and preserved CD4 T cell count could impact the HIV reservoir. Factors
specific to women, including differences in innate and adaptive immunity, genetics and cyclical hormonal
changes may affect HIV pathogenesis, immune function, and thereby ultimately affect the character of the
latent reservoir, and influence therapeutic approaches to clear persistent infection. In this project, we seek to a)
characterize the frequency of infection of replication competent latent HIV in subpopulations of resting CD4 T-
cells in both the periphery and anatomical tissues in women; b) determine the stability of the HIV reservoir in
subpopulations of resting T-cells over time; c) investigate potential sex hormone-influenced differences in
responsiveness to agents that disrupt HIV latency; d) investigate the ability of effector cells to clear reactivated
infection in the presence of physiological levels of sex hormones; and e) examine the role of the Type I
interferon, IFN-α in modulating establishment of the latent reservoir in women. Knowledge gained from this
project will advance the field towards developing successful therapeutics for HIV eradication in all populations
of people.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9977116
- **Project number:** 5R01AI134363-04
- **Recipient organization:** UNIV OF NORTH CAROLINA CHAPEL HILL
- **Principal Investigator:** Nancie Marie Archin
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $549,711
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2017-08-08 → 2022-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9977116

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9977116, The HIV Reservoir in Women: Implications for HIV cure interventions (5R01AI134363-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-27 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9977116. Licensed CC0.

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