Sustained immune activation and impaired epithelial barrier integrity in the ectocervix of women with chronic HIV infection.

ABSTRACT: Chronic systemic immune activation significantly influences human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease progression. Despite evidence of a pro-inflammatory environment in the genital tract of HIV-infected women, comprehensive investigations into cervical tissue from this region remain limited. Similarly, the consequences of chronic HIV infection on the integrity of the female genital epithelium are poorly understood, despite its importance in HIV transmission and replication. Ectocervical biopsies were obtained from HIV-seropositive (n = 14) and HIV-seronegative (n = 47) female Kenyan sex workers. RNA sequencing and bioimage analysis of epithelial junction proteins (E-cadherin, desmoglein-1, claudin-1, and zonula occludens-1) were conducted, along with CD4 staining. RNA sequencing revealed

SUBMITTER: Franzen Boger M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11614238 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature