Independent levels of cell-free and cell-associated human immunodeficiency virus-1 in genital-tract secretions of clinically asymptomatic, treatment-naive African women.
Using ultrasensitive polymerase chain reaction-based techniques, we assessed levels of cell-free and cell-associated human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 in paired blood and genital samples of 30 clinically asymptomatic, treatment-naive women. Levels of HIV-1 RNA in cervicovaginal-lavage samples were positively correlated with those in plasma samples (r=.50; P=.008), whereas levels of HIV-1 DNA in genital samples were loosely correlated with those in blood samples (r=.31; P=.041). In plasma of peripheral blood, levels of HIV-1 DNA were positively correlated with those of HIV-1 RNA (r=.64; P<.001), whereas no correlation between HIV-1 DNA and HIV-1 RNA was evident in genital secretions. Our results indicate that levels of HIV-1 RNA and HIV-1 DNA are unrelated in the genital tracts of treatment-naive women and suggest that the level of genital HIV-1 RNA is influenced by systemic viral replication-in contrast to genital HIV-1 provirus, which may be influenced as well by local cofactors triggering the migration of HIV-infected cells originating from the cervicovaginal submucosa. These features may be relevant for an understanding of HIV-1 transmission in heterosexual individuals.
Andréoletti
Laurent
L
Laboratoire de Virologie, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire, Reims, France. landreoletti@chu-reims.fr.
Chomont
Nicolas
N
Grésenguet
Gérard
G
Matta
Mathieu
M
de Dieu Longo
Jean
J
Carreno
Marie-Paule
MP
Si-Mohamed
Ali
A
Legoff
Jérôme
J
Kazatchkine
Michel D
MD
Bélec
Laurent
L
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002353:Carrier State / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D002488:Central African Republic / Q000453:epidemiology; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005836:Genitalia, Female / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood
D004279:DNA, Viral; D012367:RNA, Viral