title: HIV-1 specific IgA detected in vaginal secretions of HIV uninfected women participating in a microbicide trial in Southern Africa are primarily directed toward gp120 and gp140 specificities.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Many participants in microbicide trials remain uninfected despite ongoing exposure to HIV-1. Determining the emergence and nature of mucosal HIV-specific immune responses in such women is important, since these responses may contribute to protection and could provide insight for the rational design of HIV-1 vaccines.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We first conducted a pilot study to compare three sampling devices (Dacron swabs, flocked nylon swabs and Merocel sponges) for detection of HIV-1-specific IgG and IgA antibodies in vaginal secretions. IgG antibodies from HIV-1-positive women reacted broadly across the full panel of eight HIV-1 envelope (Env) antigens tested, whereas IgA antibodies only reacted to the gp41 subunit. No Env-reactive antibodies were detected in the HIV-negative women. The three sampling devices yielded equal HIV-1-specific antibody titers, as well as total IgG and IgA concentrations. We then tested vaginal Dacron swabs archived from 57 HIV seronegative women who participated in a microbicide efficacy trial in Southern Africa (HPTN 035). We detected vaginal IgA antibodies directed at HIV-1 Env gp120/gp140 in six of these women, and at gp41 in another three women, but did not detect Env-specific IgG antibodies in any women.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Vaginal secretions of HIV-1 infected women contained IgG reactivity to a broad range of Env antigens and IgA reactivity to gp41. In contrast, Env-binding antibodies in the vaginal secretions of HIV-1 uninfected women participating in the microbicide trial were restricted to the IgA subtype and were mostly directed at HIV-1 gp120/gp140.
authors: Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America.
authors: Kelly E
authors: KE
authors: Seaton
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America.
authors: Lamar
authors: L
authors: Ballweber
authors: Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America.
authors: Audrey
authors: A
authors: Lan
authors: Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America.
authors: Michele
authors: M
authors: Donathan
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America.
authors: Sean
authors: S
authors: Hughes
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America.
authors: Lucia
authors: L
authors: Vojtech
authors: Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America.
authors: M Anthony
authors: MA
authors: Moody
authors: Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America.
authors: Hua-Xin
authors: HX
authors: Liao
authors: Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America.
authors: Barton F
authors: BF
authors: Haynes
authors: Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, United States of America.
authors: Christine G
authors: CG
authors: Galloway
authors: Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, United States of America; Department of Biostatistics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America.
authors: Barbra A
authors: BA
authors: Richardson
authors: CAPRISA - Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa, Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa; Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America.
authors: Salim Abdool
authors: SA
authors: Karim
authors: Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America.
authors: Charlene S
authors: CS
authors: Dezzutti
authors: Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, United States of America; Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America; Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America; Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America.
authors: M Juliana
authors: MJ
authors: McElrath
authors: Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America.
authors: Georgia D
authors: GD
authors: Tomaras
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America; Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, United States of America; Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America.
authors: Florian
authors: F
authors: Hladik
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012634:Bodily Secretions / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D015483:HIV Antibodies / Q000276:immunology; D015699:HIV Envelope Protein gp120 / Q000276:immunology*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D018023:HIV Seronegativity / Q000276:immunology; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000276:immunology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D018928:Immunity, Mucosal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000276:immunology*; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000276:immunology; D010865:Pilot Projects; D013019:South Africa; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D014621:Vagina / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D054299:env Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D015483:HIV Antibodies; D015699:HIV Envelope Protein gp120; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D054299:env Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus; C097729:gp140 envelope protein, Human immunodeficiency virus 1