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Elucidating the mechanism of progesterone-induced permissivity in the upper female reproductive tract

Award Number: R01AI127219
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY & INFECTIOUS DISEASES
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)

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PROJECT SUMMARY / ABSTRACT: Worldwide, women bear the brunt of the HIV epidemic, and an effective means to prevent HIV transmission to women remains an elusive goal. Achieving this goal is hampered by our incomplete understanding of the early events in the female reproductive tract (FRT) during sexual transmission. In particular, how resident HIV- susceptible and non-susceptible cells affect viral replication, and sense and respond to HIV infection, are not well understood. Although the upper FRT harbors HIV-susceptible cells, is exposed to semen components, and is infected early in SIV transmission models, it is understudied as a portal of entry for HIV. In cycling women, the endometrium of the upper FRT is extensively remodeled in response to the sex steroids estrogen and progesterone. Progesterone and progestins, synthetic mimics of progesterone, are associated with increased susceptibility to HIV infection in humans and in non-human primate models. Therefore, understanding how these compounds affect the endometrium may yield insights into how HIV establishes infection through this tissue. In our preliminary studies, progesterone decreased barrier function of endometrial epithelial cells, which can facilitate entry of HIV from the luminal cavity into the stromal compartment of the endometrium. Within the stroma resides a dense population of endometrial stromal fibroblasts. Although these cells were not permissive to HIV infection, in co-culture with CD4+ T cells they increased infection by up to 81- fold. In contrast, when progesterone was absent, epithelial barrier integrity was maintained, and the intact layer of endometrial epithelial cells restricted infection by eliciting an antiviral state in co-cultured CD4+ T cells. Using an ex vivo system reconstituted from cells from endometrial biopsies, we will examine the molecular mechanisms responsible for progesterone-induced leakiness (Specific Aim 1), the increased susceptibility to infection mediated by stromal fibroblasts (Specific Aim 2), and epithelia-induced viral restriction (Specific Aim 3) in the upper FRT. Because progesterone-induced epithelial permeability may also occur in the lower FRT, we will additionally test this model using cells isolated from ectocervical biopsies. The proposed studies will deepen our understanding of HIV transmission and restriction in the FRT and provide a robust ex vivo model system to examine the complex interplay between sex steroids and tissue-resident cells in the context of HIV susceptibility. This system and the phenotyping tools we have established can also be adapted to study HIV transmission and restriction in other mucosal portals of entry such the intestinal mucosa and the male foreskin.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2023 ( Subtotal = $0 )
2023	2020	J.DAVID GLADSTONE INSTITUTES	1650 OWENS ST	SAN FRANCISCO	CA	94158	SAN FRANCISCO	USA	Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research	000	6	12/28/2022	CHANGE OF GRANTEE / TRAINING INSTITUTION / AWARDING INSTITUTION	$0
														Subtotal = $0

Issue Date FY: 2021 ( Subtotal = $76,250 )
2021	2020	REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO, THE	1855 FOLSOM ST STE 425	SAN FRANCISCO	CA	94143	SAN FRANCISCO	USA	Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research	000	5	3/5/2021	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	-$396,250
2021	2020	J.DAVID GLADSTONE INSTITUTES	1650 OWENS ST	SAN FRANCISCO	CA	94158	SAN FRANCISCO	USA	Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research	001	6	3/5/2021	CHANGE OF GRANTEE / TRAINING INSTITUTION / AWARDING INSTITUTION	$472,500
2021	2020	J.DAVID GLADSTONE INSTITUTES	1650 OWENS ST	SAN FRANCISCO	CA	94158	SAN FRANCISCO	USA	Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research	003	6	6/28/2021	CHANGE OF GRANTEE / TRAINING INSTITUTION / AWARDING INSTITUTION	$301,212
2021	2019	REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO, THE	1855 FOLSOM ST STE 425	SAN FRANCISCO	CA	94143	SAN FRANCISCO	USA	Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research	002	4	6/28/2021	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	-$301,212
														Subtotal = $76,250

Issue Date FY: 2020 ( Subtotal = $396,250 )
2020	2020	REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO, THE	1855 FOLSOM ST STE 425	SAN FRANCISCO	CA	94143	SAN FRANCISCO	USA	Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research	000	5	8/18/2020	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$396,250
														Subtotal = $396,250

Issue Date FY: 2019 ( Subtotal = $396,250 )
2019	2019	REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO, THE	1855 FOLSOM ST STE 425	SAN FRANCISCO	CA	94143	SAN FRANCISCO	USA	Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research	000	4	8/2/2019	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$396,250
														Subtotal = $396,250

Issue Date FY: 2018 ( Subtotal = $396,250 )
2018	2018	REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO, THE	1855 FOLSOM ST STE 420	SAN FRANCISCO	CA	94103	SAN FRANCISCO	USA	Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research	000	3	7/20/2018	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$396,250
														Subtotal = $396,250

Issue Date FY: 2017 ( Subtotal = $396,250 )
2017	2017	UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO	1855 FOLSOM ST STE 425	SAN FRANCISCO	CA	94103	SAN FRANCISCO	USA	Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research	000	2	8/3/2017	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$396,250
														Subtotal = $396,250

Issue Date FY: 2016 ( Subtotal = $396,250 )
2016	2016	UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA-SAN FRANCISCO	BOX 0812	SAN FRANCISCO	CA	94143	SAN FRANCISCO	USA	Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research	000	1	9/26/2016	NEW	$396,250
														Subtotal = $396,250

Grand Total All Awards = $2,057,500

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Elucidating the mechanism of progesterone-induced permissivity in the upper female reproductive tract

Award Number: R01AI127219

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY & INFECTIOUS DISEASES

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)

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