ArticleResearch square2026
Latent HIV Infection of BBB Pericytes Disrupts Gap Junction-Mediated Crosstalk with Endothelial Cells.
Sarah Schmidlin, Oandy Naranjo, Silvia Torices, Nikolai Fattakhov, Monika Gilicinska, Masha Minevich, Kyra Schindler, Destiny Tiburcio, Olivia Osborne, Arpan Acharya and 4 more
Abstract readPreprint
In one paragraphArticle in Research square, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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2 · The registryThe trial behind it
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4 · The recordCorrections and comments
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5 · Who and what moneyAuthors and funding
14 authors.
Sarah SchmidlinUniversity of Miami.
Oandy NaranjoUniversity of Miami.
Silvia ToricesUniversity of Miami.
Nikolai FattakhovUniversity of Miami.
Monika GilicinskaUniversity of Miami.
Masha MinevichUniversity of Miami.
Kyra SchindlerUniversity of Miami.
Destiny TiburcioUniversity of Miami.
Olivia OsborneUniversity of Miami.
Arpan AcharyaUniversity of Nebraska Medical Center.
Minseon ParkUniversity of Miami.
Mario StevensonUniversity of Miami.
Siddappa ByrareddyUniversity of Nebraska Medical Center.
Michal ToborekUniversity of Miami.
Funding
Tumor Biology Research ProgramP30CA240139 · NCI · UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI SCHOOL OF MEDICINE · PI George S. Grills · 2019 to 2026
$24.1MThe Manhattan HIV Brain BankU24MH100931 · NIMH · ICAHN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AT MOUNT SINAI · PI MORGELLO, SUSAN · 2013 to 2023
$14.0MCalifornia NeuroAIDS Tissue NetworkU24MH100928 · NIMH · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO · PI ACHIM, CRISTIAN L, MOORE, DAVID J · 2013 to 2023
$13.9MNATIONAL NEUROLOGICAL AIDS BANKU24MH100929 · NIMH · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES · PI SINGER, ELYSE J · 2013 to 2023
$12.5MTexas NeuroAIDS Research CenterU24MH100930 · NIMH · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS MED BR GALVESTON · PI GELMAN, BENJAMIN B. · 2013 to 2023
$12.1MNNTC Data Coordinating CenterU24MH100925 · NIMH · UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA MEDICAL CENTER · PI FOX, HOWARD S, SHERMAN, SETH · 2013 to 2022
$9.5MTat, amyloid beta and brain endothelial barrier functionR01MH072567 · NIMH · UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI SCHOOL OF MEDICINE · PI Michal Toborek · 2005 to 2026
$7.6MRole of cerebral vasculature in brain ischemia in HIV infectionR01HL126559 · NHLBI · UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI SCHOOL OF MEDICINE · PI TOBOREK, MICHAL · 2014 to 2024
$3.8MTargeting Inflammasomes in Substance Abuse and HIVR01DA050528 · NIDA · UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI SCHOOL OF MEDICINE · PI TOBOREK, MICHAL · 2020 to 2024
$2.3MDefining brain pericytes as a novel and myeloid-derived HIV reservoirR01MH128022 · NIMH · UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI SCHOOL OF MEDICINE · PI TOBOREK, MICHAL · 2021 to 2025
$2.3MInflammasome Activation and Gut-Brain Axis Dysregulation in HIV and Methamphetamine-Associated DepressionR01DA059849 · NIDA · UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI SCHOOL OF MEDICINE · PI Eleonore Beurel, Michal Toborek · 2024 to 2026
$1.7MAdolescent exposure to PCBs as a risk factor for the development of depressionR01ES036983 · NIEHS · UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI SCHOOL OF MEDICINE · PI Eleonore Beurel, Michal Toborek · 2025 to 2026
$996kNCI NIH HHS P30 CA240139NHLBI NIH HHS R01 HL126559NIDA NIH HHS R01 DA050528NIDA NIH HHS R01 DA059849NIDA NIH HHS R21 DA060085NIEHS NIH HHS R01 ES036983NIMH NIH HHS R01 MH072567NIMH NIH HHS R01 MH128022NIMH NIH HHS U24 MH100925NIMH NIH HHS U24 MH100928NIMH NIH HHS U24 MH100929NIMH NIH HHS U24 MH100930NIMH NIH HHS U24 MH100931NINDS NIH HHS R21 NS141704
6 · The paper itselfAbstract
HIV-Associated Neurocognitive Impairments persist, with over 50% of patients experiencing cognitive decline. Blood-brain barrier (BBB) impairment is a consistent feature of this comorbidity, which is remarkable, because BBB endothelial cells are not productively infected by HIV-1. Conversely, pericytes can be productively infected with HIV-1 and are essential for cerebrovascular homeostasis. Given this, we hypothesized that HIV-1 infection of pericytes disrupts BBB endothelial cell integrity through dysfunctional gap junction and hemichannel signaling, impairing pericyte-endothelial intercellular communication. Using a co-culture model with primary human BBB pericytes and brain microvascular endothelial cells, pericytes were infected with HIV-1 for 3 or 7 days, exhibiting active and latent viral phenotypes. Findings revealed enhanced gap junction communication between HIV-infected pericytes and endothelial cells under both conditions, and blocking gap junctions modulated endothelial inflammatory responses. Overall, this study advances our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying HIV-associated BBB dysfunction and may inform the development of targeted therapeutic strategies.
Identifiers
PMID42845645
PMCPMC13640905
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