title: Male genital tract inflammation associated with increased numbers of potential human immunodeficiency virus host cells in semen.
abstract: In this study we investigated whether elevated levels of the inflammatory mediator granulocyte elastase in seminal plasma were associated with increased numbers of CD4+ T helper/inducer lymphocytes and monocytes/macrophages in semen, the principal host cells of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Semen samples were obtained from 105 men attending an infertility clinic. CD4+ lymphocytes, monocytes/macrophages and cells expressing the common leukocyte antigen (CD45) were identified by monoclonal antibodies (MAb's) in a biotinstreptavidin immunoperoxidase technique. Granulocyte elastase levels in seminal plasma were determined by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. In 17 men, granulocyte elastase levels were higher than 1000 ng/ml seminal plasma, indicating male genital tract inflammation. Compared to men with low/normal granulocyte elastase levels in semen (less than 250 ng/ml), these men showed significantly higher mean numbers of total leukocytes, CD4+ lymphocytes and monocytes/macrophages in semen (P less than 0.001); median cell numbers for the group with high/inflammatory granulocyte elastase levels were increased 38-fold for total leukocytes (19,800,000 versus 520,625 per ejaculate), 19-fold for monocytes/macrophages (2,594,000 versus 134,565), and 6-fold for CD4+ lymphocytes (82,900 versus 14,100). Because of the increased numbers of potential HIV-host cells in inflammatory semen, male genital tract inflammation may be an important cofactor in the sexual transmission of the human immunodeficiency virus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wolff
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Anderson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D005832:Genital Diseases, Male / Q000382:microbiology*; D006098:Granulocytes / Q000201:enzymology; D006678:HIV / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000382:microbiology*; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000032:analysis; D008264:Macrophages / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D010196:Pancreatic Elastase / Q000032:analysis; D012661:Semen / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D010196:Pancreatic Elastase