biostudies-literatureRohl MThe Swedish Physician against AIDS FoundationVetenskapsrådetOlle Engkvist ByggmästareKTH Center for AppliedPrecision MedicineCanadian Institutes of Health ResearchCIHR217https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC7998094biostudies-literatureUnknown9(3)Immunological correlates of natural resistance to HIV have been identified in HIV-exposed seronegative (HESN) individuals and include a low-inflammatory genital mucosal status. The cervicovaginal epithelium has not been studied for such correlates despite constituting an important barrier against sexual HIV transmission. To fill this gap in knowledge, we collected samples of blood, cervical mononuclear cells, cervicovaginal lavage, and ectocervical tissue from Kenyan HESN sex workers (n = 29) and controls (n = 33). The samples were analyzed by flow cytometry, protein profiling, 16S rRNA gene sequencing, in situ image analysis, and tissue-based RNA sequencing. A significantly higher relative proportion of regulatory T cells in blood (B7⁺CD25^hiFoxP3⁺CD127<supVaccinesHIV-Exposed Seronegative Sex Workers Express Low T-Cell Activation and an Intact Ectocervical Tissue Microenvironment.PMC79980942019-01754KCAP188-0156KB groupMOP#86721Lajoie JKaldhusdal VAhlberg AKimani JManberg ABoily-Larouche GOyugi JBergstrom SAsghar MRohl MBroliden KKwon DSFowke KREdfeldt GOmollo KNilsson PTjernlund ABradley FfalseHIV-Exposed Seronegative Sex Workers Express Low T-Cell Activation and an Intact Ectocervical Tissue Microenvironment.Immunological correlates of natural resistance to HIV have been identified in HIV-exposed seronegative (HESN) individuals and include a low-inflammatory genital mucosal status. The cervicovaginal epithelium has not been studied for such correlates despite constituting an important barrier against sexual HIV transmission. To fill this gap in knowledge, we collected samples of blood, cervical mononuclear cells, cervicovaginal lavage, and ectocervical tissue from Kenyan HESN sex workers (n = 29) and controls (n = 33). The samples were analyzed by flow cytometry, protein profiling, 16S rRNA gene sequencing, in situ image analysis, and tissue-based RNA sequencing. A significantly higher relative proportion of regulatory T cells in blood (B7⁺CD25^hiFoxP3⁺CD127<sup2021-01-01T00:00:00Z2021 Mar2026-04-07T21:03:29.358Z2022-02-11T14:15:03.973ZS-EPMC79980943380639010.3390/vaccines9030217