HIV/AIDS Transmission: Vaginal epithelial cells implicated in heterosexual HIV transmission

AIDSWEEKLY Plus; Monday, June 12, 2006
Staff Medical Writers

According to a study from France, "Heterosexual human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission implies the crossing of the vaginal mucosa by virions present in the semen, potentially using Langerhans cells as transporters. The recruitment of these cells in the mucosa is mediated by the chemokine macrophage inflammatory protein 3 alpha (CCL20)."

"The aim of this study was to evaluate the capacity of the semen to induce Langerhans cell recruitment via the production of CCL20 by vaginal epithelial cells," said W. Berlier and colleagues at Groupe Immunite des Muqueuses et Agents Pathogenes in Saint Etienne.

"Using a vaginal epithelium model based on the SiHa cell line and human seminal plasma," investigators reported, "we demonstrated that semen enhanced the production of CCL20.

"This secretion was regulated by the nuclear factor-kappa B intracellular signaling pathway. Fractionation of the seminal plasma indicated that the secretion of CCL20 was stimulated by high molecular weight compounds present in semen."

The authors continued, "Migration assays demonstrated that secreted CCL20 was able to promote the recruitment of Langerhans cell precursors (LCps), which remain permissive to X4 and R5 HIV infection."

"Our results demonstrate that epithelial cells respond to factors present in semen by secreting CCL20, leading to the enhancement of LCp recruitment. These data argue in favor of the implication of epithelial cells in the heterosexual transmission of HIV," Berlier concluded.

Berlier and colleagues published their study in Human Reproduction (Seminal plasma promotes the attraction of Langerhans cells via the secretion of CCL20 by vaginal epithelial cells: involvement in the sexual transmission of HIV. Hum Reprod. 2006 May;21(5):1135-42).

For more information, contact O. Delezay, Groupe Immunite des Muqueuses et Agents Pathogenes, Faculty Med Jacques Lisfranc, F-42023 St. Etienne 02, France.

Publisher contact information for the journal Human Reproduction is: Oxford University Press, Great Clarendon St., Oxford OX2 6DP, England.

Keywords: St Etienne, France, HIV Transmission, Vaginal Epithelial Cells, Seminal Plasma, CCL20 Secretion, Langerhans Cells.

This article was prepared by AIDS Weekly editors from staff and other reports.

Reference

Berlier W, Cremel M, Hamzeh H, et al., "Seminal plasma promotes the attraction of Langerhans cells via the secretion of CCL20 by vaginal epithelial cells: involvement in the sexual transmission of HIV", Hum Reprod. 2006 May;21(5):1135-42.

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