title: Levels of Genital Tract Defensins and Cytokines Differ between HIV-Uninfected US and African Women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the impact of race and geographic region on biomarkers of HIV risk and vaginal health, differences in soluble immune mediators were measured in US versus African and US white versus US black women at enrollment into a phase 2 microbicide trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  Levels of soluble mucosal immune mediators and inhibitory activity against E. coli, which may serve as biomarkers of risk for HIV and other genital tract infections, were quantified in cervicovaginal lavage (CVL) collected from HIV-uninfected women in the United States (n = 73) and Africa (n = 73). Differences between groups were analyzed with multivariable logistic regression models for dichotomous variables and linear regression models for continuous variables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor, lactoferrin, human beta defensins, interleukin (IL)-8, and interferon-gamma-induced protein-10 were significantly higher in US compared to African women in multivariable analysis, but only IL-1β was significantly different between US white and black women. E. coli inhibitory activity did not differ among groups in adjusted analyses.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Differences in soluble mucosal immunity between US and African women may play an important role in women's risk for HIV and other genital tract infections and response to prevention strategies including vaginal microbicides and should be considered in future studies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Kerry
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
authors.forename: Barbra A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Richardson
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Magee-Womens Research Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Charlene S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Dezzutti
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
authors.forename: Jeanne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Marrazzo
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Magee-Womens Research Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Sharon L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Hillier
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine (Clinical Pharmacology), Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Craig W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Hendrix
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Division of Infectious Diseases, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Betsy C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Herold
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000349:Africa; D001741:Black or African American; D015415:Biomarkers; D054357:Chemokine CXCL10 / Q000276:immunology; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D016207:Cytokines / Q000276:immunology*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005843:Geography; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000821:virology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D018928:Immunity, Mucosal / Q000276:immunology; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000276:immunology; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000276:immunology; D007781:Lactoferrin / Q000276:immunology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000276:immunology; D060737:Reproductive Tract Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D053481:Secretory Leukocyte Peptidase Inhibitor / Q000378:metabolism; D014481:United States; D014621:Vagina / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D044364:Vaginal Douching; D044465:White People; D055815:Young Adult; D023083:beta-Defensins / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; C114753:CXCL10 protein, human; C508606:CXCL8 protein, human; D054357:Chemokine CXCL10; D016207:Cytokines; C508585:IL1B protein, human; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D016209:Interleukin-8; D053481:Secretory Leukocyte Peptidase Inhibitor; D023083:beta-Defensins; D007781:Lactoferrin
keywords: Female genital tract; HIV; mucosal immunity; racial disparities; sexually transmitted infections