Andrew J. Henderson, PhD
Professor
Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine
Medicine
Infectious Diseases

PhD, University of California, Riverside
MS, University of California, Riverside
BS, University of California, Riverside



My research focuses on cellular mechanisms that regulate HIV replication and transcription. Active projects in the lab include elucidating T cell costimulatory signal transduction cascades that positively and negatively regulate HIV transcription, determining mechanisms by which HIV circumvents anti-inflammatory signals to promote HIV replication and AIDS-associated inflammatory diseases and characterizing the transcriptional status of HIV provirus in T cell and macrophage subsets. Although, HIV is our primary experimental system, our research provides general insights into signal transduction, tissue-specific gene expression, immune cell function and mechanisms that contribute to inflammatory disorders and autoimmunity. Below highlights some of the current on-going projects in the lab:

T cell signals regulate HIV replication. T cell activation through the T cell receptor and costimulatory molecules, including CD28, influences susceptibility of T cells to HIV infection as well as proviral transcription. Incomplete T cell receptor signaling has been proposed to be a mechanism that contributes to proviral latency. We hypothesize that CD28 engagement results in distinct signaling cascades that have very different consequences for HIV transcription. We are actively characterizing signaling events emanating from critical tyrosine residues within the cytoplasmic tail of CD28 that either inhibit or induce HIV transcription to fully appreciate how costimulatory signals impact HIV transcription. In addition, we are characterizing the transcriptional machinery that regulates HIV expression in response to T cell signals. Understanding mechanisms by which CD28 regulates HIV transcription will further define pathways associated with this receptor as well as identify putative upstream signal transduction events critical for controlling HIV expression.

Related projects have suggested that non-receptor tyrosine kinases necessary for T cell activation and function, such as the Src kinase Lck and the Tec kinase Itk mediate efficient release of HIV. The mechanisms by which these kinases influence these late steps of HIV virus replication are actively being studied.

Regulation of HIV transcription elongation. HIV provirus is regulated at the level of transcription and involves changes in transcription initiation, chromatin organization and elongation. In particular, transcription elongation has been demonstrated to be a limiting step for HIV expression and overcoming this block is the primary activity of the viral factor Tat, which through the recruitment of P-TEFb to the LTR, post-translationally modifies RNA polymerase II and associated factors to increase processive transcription. Whether this initial lack of RNA polymerase II processivity represents proximal paused RNA polymerase II, premature termination, or both has not been resolved. Recent work from our lab shows that negative elongation factor NELF and the transcription termination factor Pcf11 repress HIV transcription. We hypothesize that the coordinate control of RNA Polymerase II activity and premature transcription termination coupled with chromatin changes create key check-points for HIV transcription that directly contributes to proviral transcriptional latency. In addition, we posit that there are cellular signals that extinguish HIV expression by inducing promoter proximal pausing and premature termination. Using a receptor tyrosine kinase that represses HIV expression, we are mapping signaling pathways that are upstream of transcription initiation, elongation and termination. Understanding the regulation of HIV transcription elongation will provide novel cellular targets for controlling and purging HIV in different cellular reservoirs.

Assistant Dean
Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Graduate Medical Sciences
Oral Health Sciences


Associate Professor
Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine
Virology, Immunology & Microbiology


Member
Boston University
BU-BMC Cancer Center


Member
Boston University
Evans Center for Interdisciplinary Biomedical Research


Boston Medical Center


Member
Boston University
Genome Science Institute


Graduate Faculty (Primary Mentor of Grad Students)
Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Graduate Medical Sciences


Co-Director
Boston University
Clinical and Translational Science Institute
Integrated Pilot Grant Award Program



Persistent HIV-1 expression and microglia dysfunction
08/01/2021 - 05/31/2026 (Multi PI of Sub-Project / SP)
PI: Suryaram Gummuluru, PhD
Boston Medical Center Corporation NIH NIDA
5R01DA055488-03

BU PREP
02/01/2020 - 01/31/2025 (PI)
NIH/National Institute of General Medical Sciences
5R25GM125511-04

BU-UL Partnership to Enhance Emerging Epidemic Virus Research in Liberia (BULEEVR)
07/22/2019 - 04/30/2024 (Multi-PI)
PI: Andrew J. Henderson, PhD
NIH/Fogarty International Center
5U2RTW011293-05

BU-UL Partnership to Enhance Emerging Epidemic Virus Research in Liberia (BULEEVR)
09/08/2017 - 08/31/2019 (Multi-PI)
PI: Andrew J. Henderson, PhD
NIH/Fogarty International Center
1D71TW010785-01


Pre notification The Providence/Boston Center for AIDS Research (CFAR) competitive renewal
07/01/2023 - 06/30/2028 (PI)
The Miriam Hospital National Institute o

Persistent HIV-1 expression and microglia dysfunction
08/01/2021 - 05/31/2026 (PI)
National Institute on Drug Abuse/NIH/DHHS
1R01DA055488-01

Training of Ugandans in Basic and Translational Research on TB and Emerging Infectious Diseases
01/01/2020 - 12/31/2024 (PI)
Rutgers The State University of New Jersey Fogarty Internationa
7D43TW009093-07

Effect of opioid use disorder on HIV latent reservoirs and immune dysfunction assessed by single-cell transcriptomics
06/01/2021 - 05/24/2024 (PI)
Trustees of Boston University,CRC National Institute o

Signals that establish and maintain HIV latency
05/01/2020 - 04/30/2024 (PI)
National Institutes of Health/DHHS/NIH National Institute o
5R01AI138960-05

Providence Boston Center for AIDS Research (CFAR)
07/01/2019 - 06/30/2023 (Multi-PI)
PI: Andrew J. Henderson, PhD
The Miriam Hospital National Institute o
5P30AI042853-21

Effect of opioid use disorder on HIV latent reservoirs and immune dysfunction assessed by single…
06/01/2019 - 05/31/2022 (PI)
Trustees of Boston University,CRC National Institute o
1R61DA047032-01

Overcoming HIV-1 transcriptional latency in unresponsive CD4 T cells
08/01/2017 - 07/31/2021 (PI)
University of Alabama National Institute o
5R01AI122842-04

Disabling HIV Provirus by Promoting Chromatinization
07/01/2017 - 06/30/2019 (PI)
amfAR / The Foundation for AIDS Reasearch

Transcription mechanisms that contribute to HIV-1 Latency
04/01/2013 - 03/31/2019 (PI)
NIH-NIAID
4R01AI097117-04

Showing 10 of 22 results. Show All Results

Title


Yr Title Project-Sub Proj Pubs
2024 BU PREP 5R25GM125511-05
2023 Persistent HIV-1 expression and microglia dysfunction 5R01DA055488-03
2023 BU PREP 5R25GM125511-04
2023 BU-UL Partnership to Enhance Emerging Epidemic Virus Research in Liberia (BULEEVR) 5U2RTW011293-05
2022 Persistent HIV-1 expression and microglia dysfunction 5R01DA055488-02
2022 BU PREP 5R25GM125511-03
2022 BU-UL Partnership to Enhance Emerging Epidemic Virus Research in Liberia (BULEEVR) 5U2RTW011293-04
2022 Effect of opioid use disorder on HIV latent reservoirs and immune dysfunction assessed by single-cell transcriptomics 5R33DA047032-05
2022 Signals that establish and maintain HIV latency 5R01AI138960-05
2021 Persistent HIV-1 expression and microglia dysfunction 1R01DA055488-01
Showing 10 of 52 results. Show All Results

Publications listed below are automatically derived from MEDLINE/PubMed and other sources, which might result in incorrect or missing publications. Faculty can login to make corrections and additions.

iCite Analysis       Copy PMIDs To Clipboard

  1. Basukala B, Rossi S, Bendiks S, Gnatienko N, Patts G, Krupitsky E, Lioznov D, So-Armah K, Sagar M, Cheng C, Henderson AJ. Virally Suppressed People Living with HIV Who Use Opioids Have Diminished Latency Reversal. Viruses. 2023 Feb 01; 15(2).View Related Profiles. PMID: 36851631; PMCID: PMC9961149; DOI: 10.3390/v15020415;
     
  2. Kuniholm J, Coote C, Henderson AJ. Defective HIV-1 genomes and their potential impact on HIV pathogenesis. Retrovirology. 2022 Jun 28; 19(1):13. PMID: 35764966; PMCID: PMC9238239; DOI: 10.1186/s12977-022-00601-8;
     
  3. Dalecki AG, Greer BD, Duverger A, Strange EL, Carlin E, Wagner F, Shi B, Lowman KE, Perez M, Tidwell C, Kaczmarek Michaels K, Giattina S, Bossmann SH, Henderson AJ, Hu H, Kutsch O. Host T Cell Dedifferentiation Effects Drive HIV-1 Latency Stability. J Virol. 2022 03 09; 96(5):e0197421. PMID: 35019721; PMCID: PMC8906408; DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01974-21;
     
  4. Kuniholm J, Armstrong E, Bernabe B, Coote C, Berenson A, Patalano SD, Olson A, He X, Lin NH, Fuxman Bass JI, Henderson AJ. Intragenic proviral elements support transcription of defective HIV-1 proviruses. PLoS Pathog. 2021 12; 17(12):e1009982.View Related Profiles. PMID: 34962974; PMCID: PMC8746790; DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1009982;
     
  5. Ragan EJ, McCallum C, Marathe J, Cole M, Hofman M, Henderson AJ, Flack T, Miller NS, Burks EJ, Zhao GQ, Denis R, Lin NH, Jacobson KR, Andry CD, Pelton SI, Duffy ER, Bhadelia N. Pandemic Response Requires Research Samples: A U.S. Safety-Net Hospital's Experience and Call for National Action. Ann Intern Med. 2021 12; 174(12):1727-1732.View Related Profiles. PMID: 34724402; DOI: 10.7326/M21-2857;
     
  6. Pedro KD, Agosto LM, Sewell JA, Eberenz KA, He X, Fuxman Bass JI, Henderson AJ. A functional screen identifies transcriptional networks that regulate HIV-1 and HIV-2. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2021 03 16; 118(11).View Related Profiles. PMID: 33836568; PMCID: PMC7980386; DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2012835118;
     
  7. Santoso CS, Li Z, Lal S, Yuan S, Gan KA, Agosto LM, Liu X, Pro SC, Sewell JA, Henderson A, Atianand MK, Fuxman Bass JI. Comprehensive mapping of the human cytokine gene regulatory network. Nucleic Acids Res. 2020 12 02; 48(21):12055-12073. PMID: 33179750; PMCID: PMC7708076; DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkaa1055;
     
  8. Olson A, Basukala B, Lee S, Gagne M, Wong WW, Henderson AJ. Targeted Chromatinization and Repression of HIV-1 Provirus Transcription with Repurposed CRISPR/Cas9. Viruses. 2020 10 12; 12(10).View Related Profiles. PMID: 33053801; PMCID: PMC7600714; DOI: 10.3390/v12101154;
     
  9. He X, Eddy JJ, Jacobson KR, Henderson AJ, Agosto LM. Enhanced Human Immunodeficiency Virus-1 Replication in CD4+ T Cells Derived From Individuals With Latent Mycobacterium tuberculosis Infection. J Infect Dis. 2020 10 01; 222(9):1550-1560.View Related Profiles. PMID: 32417884; PMCID: PMC7529013; DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiaa257;
     
  10. Karagiannis TT, Cleary JP, Gok B, Henderson AJ, Martin NG, Yajima M, Nelson EC, Cheng CS. Single cell transcriptomics reveals opioid usage evokes widespread suppression of antiviral gene program. Nat Commun. 2020 05 26; 11(1):2611. PMID: 32457298; PMCID: PMC7250875; DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-16159-y;
     
Showing 10 of 72 results. Show More

This graph shows the total number of publications by year, by first, middle/unknown, or last author.

Bar chart showing 72 publications over 31 distinct years, with a maximum of 6 publications in 2003

YearPublications
19902
19921
19941
19953
19961
19972
19981
20001
20014
20022
20036
20041
20054
20063
20072
20085
20091
20101
20111
20122
20134
20141
20153
20162
20172
20183
20193
20204
20213
20222
20231

2011 Journal of Immunology: Associate Editor
2008 Nature Publishing Group, Boston SciCafe: Award for Outstanding Research Achievement
1995-1998 Leukemia Society of America, Special Fellow
1992-1995 The Aaron Diamond Foundation Postdoctoral Research Fellowship
1990 Chancellor’s Patent Fund
1990 Biomedical Sciences Graduate Student Research Award
1987 Newell Graduate Research Award
1986 Newell Graduate Research Award
In addition to these self-described keywords below, a list of MeSH based concepts is available here.

HIV
kinases
macrophages
RNA polymerase II
signal transduction
T cells
transcription
transcription factors

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Contact for Mentoring:

650 Albany St Evans Biomed Research Ctr
Boston MA 02118
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