Mediators of Fatty Liver Disease during HIV/SIV and cART Treatment

In HIV+ patients that are effectively cART treated, liver disease is currently the most common cause of non-AIDS morbidity and mortality. This proposal will address the hypothesis that bacteria and bacterial products (including Mycobacteria) are key mediators of liver inflammation during cART-treated HIV/SIV-infection and can initiate the early events that trigger fatty liver disease. Our long-term goal is to utilize our findings to identify immune therapeutic approaches that prevent/suppress liver disease in HIV+cART treated individuals.