Paracrine Signals from HIV-1 Infected Immune Cells Reprogram Cervical Cancer Pathways.

ABSTRACT: Persistent infection with human papillomavirus (HPV) is the primary cause of cervical cancer worldwide. Notably, women co-infected with HPV and human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) have a six-fold higher lifetime risk of developing cervical cancer compared to those without HIV, even when adhering to antiretroviral therapy (ART) and achieving T-cell reconstitution. While chronic HIV-1 infection is known to cause inflammation, how paracrine signals from immune cells alter signaling in cervical cells remain poorly understood. To address this, we conducted global transcriptomics analysis on cervical swabs from Kenyan women with HPV, stratified by HIV-1 and cancer status. Strikingly, women with HIV-1 showed cancer-like gene expression patterns in non-cancerous cervical epithelial cells.

SUBMITTER: Olwal CO 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12258984 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature