title: Latent TGF-β1 is compartmentalized between blood and seminal plasma of HIV-positive men and its activation in semen is negatively correlated with viral load and immune activation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Semen is the primary medium for sexual transmission of HIV-1 and contains high concentrations of TGF-β1, but its role in regulating HIV-mediated immune activation is unclear.
  
  
  METHODS
  TGF-β1 and sCD14 were compared in blood plasma (BP) and seminal plasma (SP) from HIV-uninfected and infected, antiretroviral therapy (ART)-naive and ART-treated men and in THP-1 cells following exposure to HIV-1. The relationship between TGF-β1 and sCD14 was determined by Spearman correlation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Active and latent forms of TGF-β1 were compartmentalized between BP and SP. Highest active TGF-β1 levels were present in SP of ART-naïve chronic-infected men and decreased following ART treatment. Latent TGF-β1 was upregulated in BP following HIV infection, and highest levels were observed in BP of acute-infected men. Similar expression trends were observed between latent TGF-β1 and sCD14 in BP. A significant negative correlation was observed between active TGF-β1, sCD14, and semen viral load in ART-naive men.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  TGF-β1 is compartmentalized between blood and semen, possibly co-expressed with sCD14 by activated monocytes/macrophages in BP as a result of HIV infection. Conversion of latent TGF-β1 into its active form could contribute to regulation of viral load and immune activation in the male genital tract, but depends on the stage of infection.
authors: Department of Pathology & Molecular Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
authors: Jessica K
authors: JK
authors: Kafka
authors: Brendan J W
authors: BJ
authors: Osborne
authors: Prameet M
authors: PM
authors: Sheth
authors: Aisha
authors: A
authors: Nazli
authors: Sara
authors: S
authors: Dizzell
authors: Sanja
authors: S
authors: Huibner
authors: Colin
authors: C
authors: Kovacs
authors: Chris P
authors: CP
authors: Verschoor
authors: Dawn M
authors: DM
authors: Bowdish
authors: Rupert
authors: R
authors: Kaul
authors: Charu
authors: C
authors: Kaushic
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002460:Cell Line; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D018950:Lipopolysaccharide Receptors / Q000097:blood; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012661:Semen / Q000276:immunology*; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D019562:Viral Load; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D018950:Lipopolysaccharide Receptors; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1
keywords: Blood plasma; HIV-1; TGF-β1; immune activation; sCD14; seminal plasma