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ABSTRACT: Background
Cervicovaginal CD4+ T cells are preferential targets for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and have consequently been used as a proxy measure for HIV susceptibility. The ECHO randomized trial offered a unique opportunity to consider the association between contraceptives and Th17-like cells within a trial designed to evaluate HIV risk. In a mucosal substudy of the ECHO trial, we compared the impact of initiating intramuscular depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA-IM), copper-IUD, and the levonorgestrel (LNG) implant on cervical T cells.Methods
Cervical cytobrushes from 58 women enrolled in the ECHO trial were collected at baseline and 1 month after contraceptive initiation. We phenotyped cervical T cells using multiparameter flow cytometry, characterized the vaginal microbiome using 16s sequencing, and determined proteomic signatures associated with Th17-like cells using mass spectrometry.Results
Unlike the LNG implant or copper-IUD, DMPA-IM was associated with higher frequencies of cervical Th17-like cells within 1 month of initiation (P = .012), including a highly susceptible, activated population co-expressing CD38, CCR5, and α4β7 (P = .003). After 1 month, women using DMPA-IM also had more Th17-like cells than women using the Cu-IUD (P = .0002) or LNG implant (P = .04). Importantly, in women using DMPA-IM, proteomic signatures signifying enhanced mucosal barrier function were associated with the increased abundance of Th17-like cells. We also found that a non-Lactobacillus-dominant microbiome at baseline was associated with more Th17-like cells post-DMPA-IM (P = .03), although this did not influence barrier function.Conclusions
Our data suggest that DMPA-IM-driven accumulation of HIV-susceptible Th17-like cells might be counteracted by their role in maintaining mucosal barrier integrity.Clinical trials registration
NCT02550067.
SUBMITTER: Bunjun R
PROVIDER: S-EPMC9710690 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Nov
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Bunjun Rubina R Ramla Tanko F TF Jaumdally Shameem Z SZ Noël-Romas Laura L Ayele Hossaena H Brown Bryan P BP Gamieldien Hoyam H Harryparsad Rushil R Dabee Smritee S Nair Gonasagrie G Onono Maricianah M Palanee-Phillips Thesla T Scoville Catilin W CW Heller Kate B KB Baeten Jared M JM Bosinger Steven E SE Burgener Adam A Passmore Jo-Ann S JS Jaspan Heather H Heffron Renee R
Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America 20221101 11
<h4>Background</h4>Cervicovaginal CD4+ T cells are preferential targets for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and have consequently been used as a proxy measure for HIV susceptibility. The ECHO randomized trial offered a unique opportunity to consider the association between contraceptives and Th17-like cells within a trial designed to evaluate HIV risk. In a mucosal substudy of the ECHO trial, we compared the impact of initiating intramuscular depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA- ...[more]