Peter Pietri

Mr. Peter Pietri

orcid

Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

1Year (2026-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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12 March 2026 in Cells
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
YZYuxin Zheng
Yuxin Zheng
MHMeixiang Huang
Meixiang Huang
RMR. Michael Maragakis
R. Michael Maragakis
PPPeter Pietri
Peter Pietri
YSYu Su
Yu Su
BSBarbara S. Slusher
Barbara S. Slusher
HIV-associated neurocognitive impairment persists despite combination antiretroviral therapy, largely driven by chronic microglial activation that sustains neuroinflammation and neuronal injury. Activated microglia contribute to HIV-associated brain pathology by releasing proinflammatory mediators that disrupt synaptic integrity and impair cognition. N-acetylaspartylglutamate (NAAG), an abundant neuropeptide that maintains glutamatergic homeostasis, is hydrolyzed by glutamate carboxypeptidase II (GCPII) to glutamate. We previously demonstrated that reduced brain and cerebrospinal fluid NAAG levels in people living with HIV correlate with cognitive impairment, and that pharmacological GCPII inhibition with 2-(phosphonomethyl)-pentanedioic acid (2-PMPA) elevates brain NAAG and improves cognition in EcoHIV-infected mice. To enhance brain delivery and preferentially target activated microglia, we conjugated 2-PMPA to a generation 4 hydroxyl poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) dendrimer (D-2-PMPA). Our findings demonstrate that D-2-PMPA achieves preferential microglial drug delivery, resulting in a >600% increase in cerebrospinal fluid NAAG levels. At doses 8.3-fold lower than free 2-PMPA, this formulation reversed EcoHIV-induced deficits in social interaction, novel object recognition, and fear-conditioned memory without altering locomotor activity or anxiety-like behavior. D-2-PMPA also restored prefrontal cortex synaptic density and preserved dendritic architecture. Together, these findings demonstrate that microglia-targeted GCPII inhibition represents a potent nanotherapeutic strategy to restore synaptic integrity and cognitive function in HIV-associated neurocognitive impairment.

16 October 2026 in Journal of Medicinal Chemistry
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
ARArina Ranjit
Arina Ranjit
LTLukáš Tenora
Lukáš Tenora
MHMeixiang Huang
Meixiang Huang
YWYing Wu
Ying Wu
ATAjit G. Thomas
Ajit G. Thomas
RRRana Rais
Rana Rais