Archive | 2019
Nef Alleles derived from HIV-Positive Patients with Pulmonary Hypertension Affect Production and Function of Exosomes in Endothelial Colony Forming Cells
Abstract
Background: The HIV positive population has a > 300 fold higher risk for developing pulmonary hypertension (PH) as compared to the general population. PH is a disease characterized by elevated blood pressure in the pulmonary vasculature and is currently with no cure. Experiments with primates found that Nef, an HIV encoded protein secreted in exosomes from HIV+ cells, plays an important role in the development of HIV-PH. HIV-Nef+ exosomes induce endothelial dysfunction, including premature senescence of endothelial colony forming cells (ECFCs). We hypothesize that exosome functions and concentrations in HIV+ patients may vary based on Nef-mutations, and thus potentially define a predictor for the risk of developing PH.