The purpose of this study is to define the mechanisms of cannabis on the genome of people with HIV who use cannabis. The investigator aims to better understand the effect of Dronabinol on immune and inflammatory functions, and whether these changes are HIV-status dependent. This research may better inform public health policy regarding cannabis use. Depending on the results, additional studies may also build upon this research to develop more effective and specific treatments for cannabis use associated disorders.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Purpose
OTHER
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
160
Two 10 mg Dronabinol capsules will be administered orally, for a total of 20mg, on test day.
Connecticut Mental Health Center
New Haven, Connecticut, United States
Change in Dronabinol-induced transcriptome profile in blood using single cell (sc)RNA-seq
Changes at baseline, 120 minutes, and 360 minutes post oral Dronabinol. Transcriptome will be profiled by using single cell (sc)RNA-seq in blood samples. A panel of 45 cytokines and profiling of 37 immune cell types will be assessed for functional evaluation after Dronabinol administration.
Time frame: Baseline, 120 minutes post-Dronabinol and 360 minutes post-Dronabinol
Change in Dronabinol-induced chromatin structure profile in blood samples using single cell (sc)ATAC-seq
Changes in chromatin structure will be profiled by using (sc)ATAC-seq and capture methylome sequencing in a subset of samples from the primary outcome. The investigator expects to identify the differentially accessible regions and DNA methylation regions between pre- and post-Dronabinol administration that are correlated with Dronabinol-induced immune gene expression in each cell type.
Time frame: Baseline, 120 minutes post-Dronabinol and 360 minutes post-Dronabinol, up 5 years
Identification of Dronabinol related cellular gene networks in blood samples
Data from scRNA-seq (Outcome 1) and scATAC-seq (Outcome 2) will be used to establish a computational strategy to identify cell type specific gene networks for Dronabinol response in PWoH and PWH samples separately and by HIV status.
Time frame: up 5 years
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