title: Effect of mucosal fluid from women with bacterial vaginosis on HIV trans-infection mediated by dendritic cells.
abstract: Women with bacterial vaginosis (BV) have a higher risk of HIV transmission but the cause of risk is unknown. Dendritic cells (DC) are implicated in transmission of HIV and we previously observed that DC mature when exposed to mucosal fluid from women with BV. We hypothesized that maturation of DC by BV mucosal fluid would enhance DC-mediated trans-infection of HIV. Monocyte-derived DC (MDDC) were treated with mucosal fluid, incubated with HIV(Bal), and HIV trans-infection was evaluated. While LPS-treated MDDC increased HIV(Bal)trans-infection, BV fluid reduced trans-infection. HIV(Bal) DNA levels in MDDC were not affected by BV fluid or LPS but productive infection of MDDC was decreased by LPS and BV fluid. Mucosal fluid from women with BV does not increase MDDC-mediated trans-infection suggesting that BV does not increase HIV susceptibility by increasing DC-mediated trans-infection. However, indirect effects of DC maturation on HIV transmission cannot be ruled out.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology/Microbiology, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612, USA. elizabeth_stjohn@rush.edu
authors.forename: Elizabeth P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: St John
authors.forename: M Reza
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Zariffard
authors.forename: Jeffrey A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Martinson
authors.forename: Jose A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Simoes
authors.forename: Alan L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Landay
authors.forename: Gregory T
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: Spear
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000494:pharmacology; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000276:immunology; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D009093:Mucus / Q000378:metabolism*; D013997:Time Factors; D016585:Vaginosis, Bacterial / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides