title: Transmission of HIV-1 by primary human uterine epithelial cells and stromal fibroblasts.
abstract: Women can become infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) after the heterosexual transmission of virus from an infected male partner. To understand the events that result in transmission of HIV-1 across the female reproductive tract, we characterized the life-cycle events of HIV-1 in primary cultures of human uterine epithelial cells and stromal fibroblasts. Epithelial cells and stromal fibroblasts released virus particles after exposure to either X4- or R5-tropic strains of HIV-1. Virus released by these cells was able to infect CD4(+) T cells. When exposed to an X4-tropic strain of HIV-1, these cells supported HIV-1 reverse transcription, integration, and viral DNA transcription. When exposed to an R5-tropic strain, however, these cells released unmodified virus. These data suggest that uterine cells are targets for productive infection with X4-tropic strains and release unmodified R5-tropic viruses that would then be able to infect submucosal target cells, including T cells and macrophages.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dartmouth Medical School, Lebanon, New Hampshire, USA. susana.asin@dartmouth.edu
authors.forename: Susana N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Asin
authors.forename: Michael W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Fanger
authors.forename: Dunja
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wildt-Perinic
authors.forename: Patricia L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Ware
authors.forename: Charles R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Wira
authors.forename: Alexandra L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Howell
mesh_terms: D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000821:virology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000821:virology*; D005260:Female; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000821:virology*; D016655:HIV Core Protein p24 / Q000032:analysis; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000635:transmission*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000472:pathogenicity* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D019713:Receptors, CCR5 / Q000378:metabolism; D019718:Receptors, CXCR4 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism; D015728:Receptors, HIV / Q000378:metabolism; D017154:Stromal Cells / Q000821:virology; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014599:Uterus / Q000166:cytology* / Q000821:virology*; D016662:Virus Integration; D014779:Virus Replication
chemical_list: D016655:HIV Core Protein p24; D019713:Receptors, CCR5; D019718:Receptors, CXCR4; D015728:Receptors, HIV