For many people living with HIV, today’s treatments can suppress the virus and dramatically improve their health. But even when HIV is controlled, the disease’s damage to the gut can persist and cause chronic inflammation that can lead to serious health problems. New research from Tulane University shows that JCI Insights It helps explain why.
Researchers have found that long-term antiretroviral treatment does not fully restore important immune functions that protect and repair the intestinal lining. The study also found early evidence that dietary compounds found in mustard family vegetables, such as broccoli and cabbage, may help support immune activity involved in gut repair.
The study, led by Namita Raut, associate professor of microbiology and immunology at Tulane National Biomedical Research Center, examined changes in the intestines of nonhuman primates infected with SIV, a virus closely related to HIV used in models of HIV infection, who received long-term antiretroviral therapy. Although treatment successfully suppressed the virus, researchers still found signs of intestinal barrier dysfunction, along with destruction of important immune cells that help maintain the health of the intestinal lining.
These cells include gamma delta T cells and innate lymphocytes, which normally produce molecules involved in communication between cells that help protect the intestinal lining and support tissue repair. In treated animals, these protective responses were reduced and associated with changes in proteins that support the direct immune activation necessary to maintain the intestinal barrier.
The researchers then tested whether that pathway was influenced by diet. A small group of animals were given a broccoli-based supplement designed to increase their exposure to dietary compounds known as indoles, which occur naturally in vegetables such as broccoli and cabbage. After 1 month, the animals showed signs consistent with changes in immune cell populations associated with improved intestinal barrier integrity and mucosal repair.
The study results do not indicate that such supplements are a cure for people infected with HIV, and the study was limited to a small number of animals. However, the results suggest that biological pathways involved in maintaining intestinal balance may still be responsive even after long-term antiretroviral treatment.
This study will help us better understand why intestinal damage and chronic inflammation persist even when the virus is well controlled. These findings identify immune pathways that may be important for gut health and may guide future nutritional strategies aimed at improving long-term health outcomes for people living with HIV. ”
Namita Root, Associate Professor of Microbiology and Immunology, Tulane National Biomedical Research Center
This research was supported by the National Institutes of Health, including the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, and by base grant P51OD011104 from the Tulane National Biomedical Research Center.
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Reference magazines:
Tirugunanam, S., Others. (2026). Dietary indole affects the AHR-RORγt axis and mucosal immune homeostasis in ART-treated SIV infections. JCI Insights. DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.201258. https://insight.jci.org/articles/view/201258
