scholarly journals T Cells in the Female Reproductive Tract Can Both Block and Facilitate HIV Transmission

2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 36-40
Author(s):  
Christopher J. Miller ◽  
Ronald S. Veazey
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
Immune System ◽  
Sexually Transmitted Diseases ◽  
Reproductive Tract ◽  
Hiv Transmission ◽  
Female Reproductive Tract ◽  
Central Importance ◽  
Sexually Transmitted ◽  
Anti Hiv

Because HIV is sexually transmitted, there is considerable interest in defining the nature of anti-HIV immunity in the female reproductive tract (FRT) and in developing ways to elicit antiviral immunity in the FRT through vaccination. Although it is assumed that the mucosal immune system of the FRT is of central importance for protection against sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV, this arm of the immune system has only recently been studied. Here, we provide a brief review of the role of T cells in the FRT in blocking and facilitating HIV transmission.

Antimicrobial peptides in the pathogenesis of infectious complications in obstetrics and gynecology

2014 ◽  
Vol 63 (5) ◽  
pp. 73-81 ◽  
Author(s):  
Olesya Nikolaevna Ivashova ◽  
Olga Petrovna Lebedeva ◽  
Sergey Petrovich Pakhomov ◽  
Natal’ya Alexandrovna Rudyh ◽  
Marina Sergeevna Seliverstova
Keyword(s):  
Antimicrobial Peptides ◽  
Reproductive Tract ◽  
Infectious Complications ◽  
Female Reproductive Tract ◽  
Innate Immune ◽  
Cationic Peptides ◽  
Practical Application ◽  
Sexually Transmitted ◽  
Angiogenic Effect

Antimicrobial peptides (AMP) are cationic peptides of innate immune system with antiviral, antibacterial and antiprotozoal activity. AMP act as immunomodulators, promote bacterial opsonization, inhibit proteases activity, have anti-endotoxic and angiogenic effect. The review describes main types of AMPs, features of their expression in female reproductive tract depending from menstrual cycle and during pregnancy. Data about the role of AMPs in defending from sexually transmitted infections (HIV, genital herpes, HPV, gonorrhea), in pathogenesis of extrauterine pregnancy and preterm birth are described. Possibility of practical application of AMPs as alternative to antibiotics and as contraceptives is estimated.

scholarly journals Complement Receptor 3 Mediates HIV-1 Transcytosis across an Intact Cervical Epithelial Cell Barrier: New Insight into HIV Transmission in Women

mBio ◽  
2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher J. Day ◽  
Rachael L. Hardison ◽  
Belinda L. Spillings ◽  
Jessica Poole ◽  
Joseph A. Jurcisek ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
Epithelial Cell ◽  
Reproductive Tract ◽  
Hiv Transmission ◽  
Primary Site ◽  
Female Reproductive Tract ◽  
Complement Receptor ◽  
Complement Receptor 3 ◽  
Insight Into ◽  
Hiv 1

In women, the lower female reproductive tract is the primary site for HIV infection. How HIV traverses the epithelium to infect CD4 T cells in the submucosa is ill-defined.

scholarly journals HIV efficiently infects T cells from the endometrium and remodels them to promote systemic viral spread

eLife ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tongcui Ma ◽  
Xiaoyu Luo ◽  
Ashley F George ◽  
Gourab Mukherjee ◽  
Nandini Sen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
Reproductive Tract ◽  
Hiv Transmission ◽  
Nearest Neighbor ◽  
Female Reproductive Tract ◽  
Receptor Expression ◽  
Endometrial Cells ◽  
Viral Spread ◽  
Cell Remodeling ◽  
Memory Cd4 T Cells

The female reproductive tract (FRT) is the most common site of infection during HIV transmission to women, but viral remodeling complicates characterization of cells targeted for infection. Here, we report extensive phenotypic analyses of HIV-infected endometrial cells by CyTOF, and use a ‘nearest neighbor’ bioinformatics approach to trace cells to their original pre-infection phenotypes. Like in blood, HIV preferentially targets memory CD4+ T cells in the endometrium, but these cells exhibit unique phenotypes and sustain much higher levels of infection. Genital cell remodeling by HIV includes downregulating TCR complex components and modulating chemokine receptor expression to promote dissemination of infected cells to lymphoid follicles. HIV also upregulates the anti-apoptotic protein BIRC5, which when blocked promotes death of infected endometrial cells. These results suggest that HIV remodels genital T cells to prolong viability and promote viral dissemination and that interfering with these processes might reduce the likelihood of systemic viral spread.

scholarly journals Innate immunity and disorders of the female reproductive tract

Reproduction ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 135 (6) ◽  
pp. 739-749 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew W Horne ◽  
Sarah J Stock ◽  
Anne E King
Keyword(s):  
Immune System ◽  
Ectopic Pregnancy ◽  
Innate Immune System ◽  
Reproductive Tract ◽  
Intrauterine Infection ◽  
Female Reproductive Tract ◽  
Innate Immune ◽  
Normal Female ◽  
Tubal Infertility ◽  
Sexually Transmitted

Sexually transmitted infections, and their associated sequelae, such as tubal infertility, ectopic pregnancy and preterm labour, are a major worldwide health problem. Chlamydia trachomatis infection is thought to be the leading global cause of tubal infertility and tubal ectopic pregnancy. Preterm birth occurs in around 10% of all deliveries, and nearly 30% of preterm deliveries are associated with intrauterine infection. The mucosal innate immune system of the female reproductive tract has evolved to eliminate such sexually transmitted pathogens whilst maintaining its ability to accommodate specialized physiological functions that include menstruation, fertilization, implantation, pregnancy and parturition. The aim of this review was to describe the role and distribution of key mediators of the innate immune system, the natural antimicrobial peptides (secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor, elafin and the defensins) and the pattern recognition toll-like receptors in the normal female reproductive tract and in the context of these pathological processes.

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