title: The effect of progesterone levels and pregnancy on HIV-1 coreceptor expression.
abstract: The upregulation of HIV-1 co-receptor expression during certain clinical settings may explain the predisposition of individuals to enhanced HIV-1 acquisition. We sought to determine the effect of estrogen and progesterone on the HIV-1 coreceptors, CCR5 and CXCR4. Co-receptor expression on CD3- and CD14-positive cells obtained systemically and locally (genital tissue in women) was determined in men, pre- and post-menopausal women, pregnant women in each trimester and in labor. CCR5 on both CD3- and CD14-positive cells was highest in pregnant women, and increased as gestation advanced ( P < .01 and P < .001, respectively). Progesterone levels were significantly associated with CCR5 expression on PBMCs ( P < .03 for CD3-positive, and P < .002 for CD14-positive cells) and from cells isolated from tissue ( P < .001).CCR5 mRNA expression correlated with the cell surface marker expression from blood and tissue. These findings suggest that pregnancy and other high progesterone states may predispose women to HIV-1 acquisition.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, Dallas, Texas 75390, USA. Jeanne.Sheffield@ utsouthwestern.edu
authors.forename: Jeanne S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Sheffield
authors.forename: George D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Wendel
authors.forename: Donald D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: McIntire
authors.forename: Michael V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Norgard
mesh_terms: D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000821:virology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000821:virology; D011374:Progesterone / Q000097:blood*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D019713:Receptors, CCR5 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D019718:Receptors, CXCR4 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: C527276:CXCR4 protein, human; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D019713:Receptors, CCR5; D019718:Receptors, CXCR4; D011374:Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol