title: Semen of HIV-1-infected individuals: local shedding of herpesviruses and reprogrammed cytokine network.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Semen is the main carrier of sexually transmitted viruses, including human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). However, semen is not just a mere passive transporter of virions but also plays an active role in HIV-1 transmission through cytokines and other biological factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  To study the relationship between viruses and the chemokine-cytokine network in the male genital tract, we measured the concentrations of 21 cytokines/chemokines and the loads of HIV-1 and of 6 herpesviruses in seminal and blood plasma from HIV-1-infected and HIV-uninfected men.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found that (1) semen is enriched in cytokines and chemokines that play key roles in HIV-1 infection or transmission; (2) HIV-1 infection changes the chemokine-cytokine network in semen, further enriching it in cytokines that modulate its replication; (3) HIV-1 infection is associated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and cytomegalovirus (CMV) compartmentalized seminal reactivation; (4) CMV and EBV concomitant seminal shedding is associated with higher HIV-1 loads in blood and seminal plasma; and (5) CMV seminal reactivation increases the seminal levels of the CCR5 ligands RANTES and eotaxin, and of the CXCR3 ligand monokine induced by gamma interferon (MIG).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HIV-1 infection results in an aberrant production of cytokines and reactivation of EBV and CMV that further changes the seminal cytokine network. The altered seminal milieu in HIV-1 infection may be a determinant of HIV-1 sexual transmission.
authors: Section of Intercellular Interactions, Eunice-Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA.
authors: Andrea
authors: A
authors: Lisco
authors: Arshi
authors: A
authors: Munawwar
authors: Andrea
authors: A
authors: Introini
authors: Christophe
authors: C
authors: Vanpouille
authors: Elisa
authors: E
authors: Saba
authors: Xingmin
authors: X
authors: Feng
authors: Jean-Charles
authors: JC
authors: Grivel
authors: Sarman
authors: S
authors: Singh
authors: Leonid
authors: L
authors: Margolis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018925:Chemokines / Q000378:metabolism*; D060085:Coinfection / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006564:Herpesviridae / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012661:Semen / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D019562:Viral Load; D017201:Virus Shedding
chemical_list: D018925:Chemokines; D016207:Cytokines