Andrea Raymond,
Associate Professor, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine,
Florida International University
Dr. Raymond is a Research Associate Professor in the Department of Immunology and Nanomedicine at the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine at Florida International University, Miami, FL. She heads a research group investigating the role of extracellular vesicles(EVs) in the pathology associated with substance use disorders, HIV NeuroAIDS, and HIV-related cancers. Dr. Raymond lab is among the first to demonstrate a potential role for exosomal EVs in HIV-associated neuropathogenesis. Her research group has shown in vitro that HIV-infected cells release EVs containing the HIV Nef protein and has demonstrated ex vivo the presence Nef-containing EVs in the serum of aviremic HIV-infected subjects. However, the functional role of these Nef-containing EVs in HIV neuropathogenesis is still unknown. Dr. Raymond seeks to understand how the content (and function) of brain and immune cell-derived EVs vary upon HIV infection and opiate exposure to identify EV-based biomarkers of HIV neuropathogenesis and opiate use disorder.
Development of Circulating Extracellular Vesicles as Theranostic of HIV Neurodisease Progression
Thursday, 4 April 2024 at 15:30
Add to Calendar ▼2024-04-04 15:30:002024-04-04 16:30:00Europe/LondonDevelopment of Circulating Extracellular Vesicles as Theranostic of HIV Neurodisease ProgressionExtracellular Vesicles (EVs) and Nanoparticles 2024: Diagnostics, Delivery, Therapeutics in Miami, FloridaMiami, FloridaSELECTBIOenquiries@selectbiosciences.com
Exosomal extracellular vesicles(xEVs) released by cells are detected in bodily fluids(blood, generally used for intercellular communication. However, xEVs also deliver cellular proteins, modify gene expression, and modulate immune responses in recipient cells. HIV-infected cells release xEVs containing the HIV Negative factor (Nef). The role of these xEVs and Nef+ exosomal EVs(Nef-xEVs) in HIV neuropathogenesis is unknown. Despite successful anti-retroviral therapy(ART), some aviremic people with HIV (PWH) develop HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders(HAND) that make it challenging to think, perform basic tasks, or work. Here, we show that changes in serum-derived xEVs cargo correlated with fluctuations in neurocognitive status over time in PWHs on ART. PWHs that maintain the same neurocognitive status from weeks 16, 48, and 96 have lowered CD8 T-cell, reduced xEV quantify, and decreased Nef-xEVs. In contrast, PWHs with fluctuating neurocognitive impairment(NCI) ranging from no NCI, NCI-moderate, to NCI-high exhibited elevated CD8+ T-cells counts and elevated serum-derived xEV Nef. Proteomic analysis revealed that specific proteins such as nebulin and neurexin-2 were up-regulated only in PWHs with fluctuating NCI, suggesting a potential role of these proteins in NCI. Results from this identify xEVs/Nef-xEVs cargo as potential biomarkers of NCI status in aviremic PWHs on ART.
