TARGETING DRUG TO HIV SANCTUARY IN LYMPHATIC

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This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. The lymph nodes are thought to provided reservoirs where persists in patients undergoing highly active antiretroviral therapy. When drug therapy is discontinued, the persistent virus can multiply, leading to a rapid return of virus to the general circulation and frequently, the emergence of drug resistant mutants. Our objective is to use targeted drug delivery to increase the concentration of anti-HIV drugs in the lymph nodes and lymphoid tissues thus diminishing or elimination these viral reservoirs. Drugs will be targeted by incorporate into liposome or lipid nano-particles, which are known to drain and accumulate in the lymph nodes. Using fluorine deoxyglucose (F18-FDG) and positron emission tomography (PET) is to identify metabolic activity in lymphoid tissues based on increase glucose metabolism due to active HIV replication.