HIV-1 shedding from the female genital tract is associated with increased Th1 cytokines/chemokines that maintain tissue homeostasis and proportions of CD8+FOXP3+ T cells.

ABSTRACT:

Background

HIV-1 shedding from the female genital tract is associated with increased sexual and perinatal transmission and has been broadly evaluated in cross-sectional studies. However, few longitudinal studies have evaluated how the immune microenvironment effects shedding.

Methods

Thirty-nine HIV-1-infected women had blood, cervicovaginal lavage, and biopsies of the uterine cervix taken quarterly for up to 5 years. Cytokines/chemokines were quantified by Luminex assay in cervicovaginal lavage, and cellular phenotypes were characterized using immunohistochemistry in cervical biopsies. Comparisons of cytokine/chemokine concentrations and the percent of tissue staining positive for T cells were compared using generalized estimating equations between non-shedding and shedding

SUBMITTER: Bull ME 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4213308 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature