title: "In vitro" spontaneous production of B-chemokines by endocervical and endometrial short-term bioptic cultures.
abstract: Several studies indicate that HIV-1 is present in the cervico-vaginal tissues and secretions of infected women representing an important determinant of both sexual and mother-to-child transmission. HIV-1 genital shedding is influenced by various factors; among these, proinflammatory cytokines, in particular the beta/C-C chemokine group (RANTES, MIP-1alpha and MIP-1beta), are known to suppress HIV-1 replication and thus might affect both sexual and vertical transmission. This study aimed to standardize a procedure to measure "in vitro" uterine spontaneous chemokine production by means of short-term cultures of endocervical and endometrial bioptic fragments. In most cases, "in vitro" chemokine production was observed in both fragment cultures. These results further confirm that beta/C-C chemokines exist in the female genital tract and that uterine mucosa actively produces basal levels of these immuno-active substances. This method constitutes a useful approach to evaluate cytokine production and expression in the female genital tract, their influence on HIV-1 expression and infectivity in this site, and their possible role in viral transmission.
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Infectious Diseases, University of Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Favia
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Di Stefano
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lepera
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mangiacotti
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Saracino
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Fiore
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Angarano
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pastore
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001706:Biopsy; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D054405:Chemokine CCL3; D054407:Chemokine CCL4; D018946:Chemokine CCL5 / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D004717:Endometrium / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D018023:HIV Seronegativity; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007044:Hysterectomy; D019402:Macrophage Inflammatory Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D054405:Chemokine CCL3; D054407:Chemokine CCL4; D018946:Chemokine CCL5; D019402:Macrophage Inflammatory Proteins