Blood B Lymphocyte Stimulator (BLyS)/BAFF levels may reflect natural immunity to HIV in highly exposed uninfected Beninese Commercial Sex Workers.

ABSTRACT: We have previously shown that excess B lymphocyte Stimulator (BLyS)/BAFF in plasma and on surface of blood dendritic cells (DC) of HIV-infected progressors coincides with B-cell dysregulations and increased frequencies of "precursor" innate marginal zone (MZ)-like B-cells. In contrast, both blood BLyS levels and frequencies of this population remained unaltered in HIV elite-controllers. Based on these observations, we hypothesized that control of BLyS and innate B-cell status could be associated with natural immunity against HIV infection. Therefore, we assessed blood BLyS levels and B-cell status in HIV highly-exposed commercial sex workers (CSWs) from Benin. We found blood BLyS levels of HIV-uninfected CSWs were lower than those observed in both HIV-infected CSW and HIV-uninfected non-CS

SUBMITTER: Sabourin-Poirier C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4999816 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature