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Seminal Plasma-Derived Extracellular-Vesicle Fractions from HIV-Infected Men Exhibit Unique MicroRNA Signatures and Induce a Proinflammatory Response in Cells Isolated from the Female Reproductive Tract

ABSTRACT: The continuing spread of HIV/AIDS is predominantly fueled by sexual exposure to HIV-contaminated semen. Seminal plasma (SP), the liquid portion of semen, harbors a variety of factors that may favor HIV transmission by facilitating viral entry into host cells, eliciting the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, and enhancing the translocation of HIV across the genital epithelium. One important and abundant class of factors in SP is extracellular vesicles (EVs), which in general are important intercellular signal transducers. Although numerous studies have characterized blood plasma-derived EVs from both uninfected and HIV-infected individuals, little is known about the properties of EVs from semen of HIV-infected individuals. We report here that fractionated SP enriched for EVs from HIV-infected men induce potent transcriptional responses in epithelial and stromal cells that interface with luminal contents of the female reproductive tract. Compared to semen EV fractions from uninfected individuals, those from acutely-infected individuals induced a more pro-inflammatory signature. This was not associated with any observable differences in the surface phenotypes of the vesicles. However, miRNA expression profiling analysis revealed that EV fractions from infected individuals exhibit a broader and more diverse profile. Taken together, our data suggest that SP EVs from HIV-infected individuals exhibit unique miRNA signatures and exert potent pro-inflammatory transcriptional changes in cells of the female reproductive tract, which may facilitate HIV transmission.

ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens

PROVIDER: GSE152714 | GEO | 2020/06/18

REPOSITORIES: GEO

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Project description:Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are involved in intercellular communication in health and disease and affect processes including immune and antiviral responses. We have previously demonstrated that ultracentrifuged serum is depleted of EVs and, when used in cell culture media, is associated with declines in growth and viability of numerous cultured cell types. Although EVs had been reported to enhance or interfere with HIV-1 infection, depending on the setting, the effects of EVs on HIV-1 production and infectivity of released virions were unknown. In this study, we examined the effects of EV-depleted serum on HIV-1 replication in primary cells and cell lines, including two HIV-1 latency models. Cell culture media were prepared with EV-replete fetal bovine serum (FBS) or serum depleted of EVs via ultracentrifugation or a proprietary method (ThermoFisher/Gibco). T-cell and myeloid-lineage cell lines, including ACH-2 and U1 HIV-1 latency models, and primary cells were grown in 10% FBS-based culture media. Cell counts, viability, and proliferation were assessed throughout. HIV-1 production and infectivity were measured by p24 ELISA and luciferase reporter cell lines, respectively. Flow cytometry, Seahorse assays, and miRNA and mRNA expression arrays were done to assess cellular responses to EV-depleted conditions. Significant increases in HIV-1 production were observed in EV-depleted conditions, along with, in some cases, morphology changes and decreased cell viability. Add-back of pelleted EVs reduced HIV-1 production almost to baseline. Primary cells appeared to be less susceptible to EV depletion. ACH-2 and U1 latency models also produced more HIV-1 under EV-depleted conditions. Virus produced under EV-depleted conditions was more infectious. Changes in cellular metabolism and gene expression were associated with EV-depleted culture. The EV environment of HIV-1 infected cells appears to have a significant effect on virus production and infectivity. In cell lines of HIV-latency, significantly higher concentrations of p24 were observed in those cells cultured in EVD conditions. EV-dependence of cell cultures should be examined carefully prior to examining additional experimental variables. However, we also sound a cautionary note that direct actions of EVs may be accompanied by the effects of other, closely associated factors.

Project description:Recently, several neutralizing anti-HIV antibodies have been isolated from memory B cells of HIV-infected individuals. However, despite extensive evidence of B-cell dysfunction in HIV disease, little is known about the cells from which these rare HIV-specific antibodies originate. Accordingly, HIV envelope gp140 and CD4 or co-receptor (CoR) binding site (bs) mutant probes were used to evaluate HIV-specific responses in the peripheral blood B cells of individuals at various stages of infection. In contrast to non-HIV responses, HIV-specific responses against gp140 were enriched within abnormal B cells, namely activated and exhausted memory subsets, which are largely absent in the blood of uninfected individuals. Responses against the CoRbs (a poorly-neutralizing epitope) arose early whereas those against the CD4bs (a well-characterized neutralizing epitope) were delayed and infrequent. Enrichment of the HIV-specific response within resting memory B cells, the predominant subset in uninfected individuals, did occur in certain infected individuals who maintained low levels of plasma viremia and immune activation with or without antiretroviral therapy. These findings were corroborated by transcriptional profiles. Taken together, our findings provide valuable insight into virus-specific B-cell responses in HIV infection and demonstrate that memory B-cell abnormalities may contribute to the ineffectiveness of the antibody response in infected individuals. HIV-specific responses against gp140 were enriched within abnormal B cells, namely activated (AM) and exhausted (tissue-like; TLM) memory subsets, which are largely absent in the blood of uninfected individuals. These responses are highest during the early stage of HIV infection, significantly decreased following the initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART), and most importantly, enriched in normal resting memory B cells (RM) when HIV viremia and immune activation are controlled either naturally or as a result of ART. These HIV-specific B cells (AM and TLM) and resting memory B cells (RM) were sorted from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of 6 HIV infected individuals. In addition, gp140-specific IgG+ B cells were sorted from individuals with either a strong (n= 6) or weak (n= 6) pro-resting memory profile. TaqMan gene expression assay was performed on these HIV-specific B cells and B cell subset. The array consisted of 29 genes.

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Seminal Plasma-Derived Extracellular-Vesicle Fractions from HIV-Infected Men Exhibit Unique MicroRNA Signatures and Induce a Proinflammatory Response in Cells Isolated from the Female Reproductive Tract

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