Estradiol Enhances CD4+ T-Cell Anti-Viral Immunity by Priming Vaginal DCs to Induce Th17 Responses via an IL-1-Dependent Pathway.

Clinical and experimental studies have shown that estradiol (E2) confers protection against HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. Here, we investigated the underlying mechanism. Better protection in E2-treated mice, immunized against genital HSV-2, coincided with earlier recruitment and higher proportions of Th1 and Th17 effector cells in the vagina post-challenge, compared to placebo-treated controls. Vaginal APCs isolated from E2-treated mice induced 10-fold higher Th17 and Th1 responses, compared to APCs from progesterone-treated, placebo-treated, and estradiol-receptor knockout mice in APC-T cell co-cultures. CD11c+ DCs in the vagina were the predominant APC population responsible for priming these Th17 responses, and a potent source of IL-6 and IL-1ß, important factors for Th17 differentiation. Th17 responses were abrogated in APC-T cell co-cultures containing IL-1ß KO, but not IL-6 KO vaginal DCs, showing that IL-1ß is a critical factor for Th17 induction in the genital tract. E2 treatment in vivo directly induced high expression of IL-1ß in vaginal DCs, and addition of IL-1ß restored Th17 induction by IL-1ß KO APCs in co-cultures. Finally, we examined the role of IL-17 in anti-HSV-2 memory T cell responses. IL-17 KO mice were more susceptible to intravaginal HSV-2 challenge, compared to WT controls, and vaginal DCs from these mice were defective at priming efficient Th1 responses in vitro, indicating that IL-17 is important for the generation of efficient anti-viral memory responses. We conclude that the genital mucosa has a unique microenvironment whereby E2 enhances CD4+ T cell anti-viral immunity by priming vaginal DCs to induce Th17 responses through an IL-1-dependent pathway.

Correction: Estradiol Enhances CD4+ T-Cell Anti-Viral Immunity by Priming Vaginal DCs to Induce Th17 Responses via an IL-1-Dependent Pathway.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1005589.].

Medroxyprogesterone Acetate Regulates HIV-1 Uptake and Transcytosis but Not Replication in Primary Genital Epithelial Cells, Resulting in Enhanced T-Cell Infection.

Although clinical and experimental evidence indicates that female sex hormones and hormonal contraceptives regulate susceptibility to human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection, the underlying mechanism remains unknown. Genital epithelial cells (GECs) are the first cells to encounter HIV during sexual transmission and their interaction with HIV may determine the outcome of exposure. This is the first report that HIV uptake by GECs increased significantly in the presence of the hormonal contraceptive medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) and progesterone and that uptake occurred primarily via endocytosis. No productive infection was detected, but endocytosed virus was released into apical and basolateral compartments. Significantly higher viral transcytosis was observed in the presence of MPA. In GEC and T-cell cocultures, maximum viral replication in T cells was observed in the presence of MPA, which also broadly upregulated chemokine production by GECs. These results suggest that MPA may play a significant role in regulating susceptibility to HIV.

HIV-1 gp120 induces TLR2- and TLR4-mediated innate immune activation in human female genital epithelium.

Although women constitute half of all HIV-1-infected people worldwide (UNAIDS World AIDS Day Report, 2011), the earliest events in the female reproductive tract (FRT) during heterosexual HIV-1 transmission are poorly understood. Recently, we demonstrated that HIV-1 could directly impair the mucosal epithelial barrier in the FRT. This suggested that the HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein gp120 was being recognized by a membrane receptor on genital epithelial cells, leading to innate immune activation. In this study, we report that pattern-recognition receptors TLR2 and -4 bind to HIV-1 gp120 and trigger proinflammatory cytokine production via activation of NF-κB. The gp120-TLR interaction also required the presence of heparan sulfate (HS). Bead-binding assays showed that gp120 can bind to HS, TLR2, and TLR4, and studies in transfected HEK293 cells demonstrated that HS and TLR2 and -4 were necessary to mediate downstream signaling. Exposure to seminal plasma from HIV-1-infected and uninfected men with gp120 added to it induced a significant proinflammatory cytokine response from genital epithelial cells and disruption of tight junctions, indicating a role for gp120 in mucosal barrier disruption during HIV-1 heterosexual transmission. These studies provide, for the first time to our knowledge, a possible mechanism by which HIV-1 gp120 could directly initiate innate immune activation in the FRT during heterosexual transmission.

Primary human epithelial cell culture system for studying interactions between female upper genital tract and sexually transmitted viruses, HSV-2 and HIV-1.

Evidence from clinical and epidemiological studies indicates that women are disproportionately susceptible to sexually transmitted viral infections. To understand the underlying biological basis for this increased susceptibility, more studies are needed to examine the acute events in the female reproductive tract following exposure to viruses during sexual transmission. The epithelial lining of the female reproductive tract is the primary barrier that sexually transmitted viruses, such as HIV-1 and HSV-2 need to infect or traverse, in order to initiate and establish productive infection. We have established an ex-vivo primary culture system to grow genital epithelial cells from upper reproductive tract tissues of women. Using these cultures, we have extensively examined the interactions between epithelial cells of the female genital tract and HSV-2 and HIV-1. In this review, we describe in detail the experimental protocol to grow these cultures, monitor their differentiation and inoculate with HSV-2 and HIV-1. Prospective use of these cultures to re-create the microenvironment in the reproductive tract is discussed.

Latent TGF-ß1 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.

PROBLEM: Semen is the primary medium for sexual transmission of HIV-1 and contains high concentrations of TGF-ß1, but its role in regulating HIV-mediated immune activation is unclear. METHOD OF STUDY: TGF-ß1 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-ß1 and sCD14 was determined by Spearman correlation. RESULTS: Active and latent forms of TGF-ß1 were compartmentalized between BP and SP. Highest active TGF-ß1 levels were present in SP of ART-naïve chronic-infected men and decreased following ART treatment. Latent TGF-ß1 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-ß1 and sCD14 in BP. A significant negative correlation was observed between active TGF-ß1, sCD14, and semen viral load in ART-naive men. CONCLUSION: TGF-ß1 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-ß1 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.

Influence of common mucosal co-factors on HIV infection in the female genital tract.

Women constitute almost half of HIV-infected population globally, and the female genital tract (FGT) accounts for approximately 40% of all new HIV infections worldwide. The FGT is composed of upper and lower parts, distinct in their morphological and functional characteristics. Co-factors in the genital microenvironment, such as presence of hormones, semen, and other sexually transmitted infections, can facilitate or deter HIV infection and play a critical role in determining susceptibility to HIV. In this review, we examine some of these co-factors and their potential influence. Presence of physical and chemical barriers such as epithelial tight junctions, mucus, and anti-microbial peptides can actively block and inhibit viral replication, presenting a significant deterrent to HIV. Upon exposure, HIV and other pathogens first encounter the genital epithelium: cells that express a wide repertoire of pattern recognition receptors that can recognize and directly initiate innate immune responses. These and other interactions in the genital tract can lead to direct and indirect inflammation and enhance the number of local target cells, immune activation, and microbial translocation, all of which promote HIV infection and replication. Better understanding of the dynamics of HIV transmission in the female genital tract would be invaluable for improving the design of prophylactic strategies against HIV.

Innate and adaptive immune responses in male and female reproductive tracts in homeostasis and following HIV infection.

The male and female reproductive tracts are complex microenvironments that have diverse functional demands. The immune system in the reproductive tract has the demanding task of providing a protective environment for a fetal allograft while simultaneously conferring protection against potential pathogens. As such, it has evolved a unique set of adaptations, primarily under the influence of sex hormones, which make it distinct from other mucosal sites. Here, we discuss the various components of the immune system that are present in both the male and female reproductive tracts, including innate soluble factors and cells and humoral and cell-mediated adaptive immunity under homeostatic conditions. We review the evidence showing unique phenotypic and functional characteristics of immune cells and responses in the male and female reproductive tracts that exhibit compartmentalization from systemic immunity and discuss how these features are influenced by sex hormones. We also examine the interactions among the reproductive tract, sex hormones and immune responses following HIV-1 infection. An improved understanding of the unique characteristics of the male and female reproductive tracts will provide insights into improving clinical treatments of the immunological causes of infertility and the design of prophylactic interventions for the prevention of sexually transmitted infections.

Endometrial epithelial cell response to semen from HIV-infected men during different stages of infection is distinct and can drive HIV-1-long terminal repeat.

OBJECTIVES: Although more than 60% of HIV transmission occurs via semen, little is known about the immune impact of seminal plasma on HIV susceptibility. Here, we examined the level of selected immunomodulatory factors in seminal plasma from HIV-uninfected and therapy-naive, HIV-infected men in acute and chronic stages; the cytokine response elicited by seminal plasma in genital epithelial cells (GECs); and whether any GEC response to seminal plasma could drive HIV replication in infected T cells. METHODS: A panel of nine cytokines and chemokines was measured in seminal plasma from HIV-uninfected and HIV-infected men and in primary GEC cultures following seminal plasma exposure. HIV-long terminal repeat (LTR) activation was measured in 1G5 T cells exposed to supernatants from seminal plasma-treated GECs. RESULTS: Pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines were present at significantly higher levels in seminal plasma from acute men, whereas transforming growth factor (TGF)-ß1 was significantly higher in seminal plasma from chronic men. Pro-inflammatory cytokine production by GECs was significantly decreased following incubation with seminal plasma from chronic men. Blocking the TGF-ß1 receptor in GECs prior to seminal plasma exposure enhanced pro-inflammatory cytokine production. Exposure to seminal plasma activated nuclear factor (NF)-κB in GECs and blocking it significantly reduced pro-inflammatory cytokine production. GEC responses to seminal plasma, especially from acute men, significantly activated HIV-LTR activation in 1G5 T cells. CONCLUSION: Immunomodulatory factors in seminal plasma vary, depending on presence and stage of HIV infection. Exposure to seminal plasma leads to NF-κB activation and pro-inflammatory cytokine production, whereas TGF-ß in seminal plasma may suppress pro-inflammatory cytokine production by GECs. GEC responses to seminal plasma can activate HIV-LTR in infected CD4(+) T cells.

HIV infection in the female genital tract: discrete influence of the local mucosal microenvironment.

Women acquire HIV infections predominantly at the genital mucosa through heterosexual transmission. Therefore, the immune milieu at female genital surfaces is a critical determinant of HIV susceptibility. In this review, we recapitulate the evidence suggesting that several distinctive innate immune mechanisms in the female genital tract (FGT) serve to significantly deter or facilitate HIV-1 infection. Epithelial cells lining the FGT play a key role in forming a primary barrier to HIV entry. These cells express Toll-like receptors and other receptors that recognize and respond directly to pathogens, including HIV-1. In addition, innate biological factors produced by epithelial and other cells in the FGT have anti-HIV activity. Female sex hormones, co-infection with other pathogens and components in semen may also exacerbate or down-modulate HIV transmission. A combination of innate and adaptive immune factors and their interactions with the local microenvironment determine the outcome of HIV transmission. Improving our understanding of the female genital microenvironment will be useful in developing treatments that augment and sustain protective immune responses in the genital mucosa, such as microbicides and vaccines, and will provide greater insight into viral pathogenesis in the FGT.