BACKGROUND: Semen is the main carrier of sexually transmitted viruses, including human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). However, semen is not just a mere passive transporter of virions but also plays an active role in HIV-1 transmission through cytokines and other biological factors. METHODS: To study the relationship between viruses and the chemokine-cytokine network in the male genital tract, we measured the concentrations of 21 cytokines/chemokines and the loads of HIV-1 and of 6 herpesviruses in seminal and blood plasma from HIV-1-infected and HIV-uninfected men. RESULTS: We found that (1) semen is enriched in cytokines and chemokines that play key roles in HIV-1 infection or transmission; (2) HIV-1 infection changes the chemokine-cytokine network in semen, further enriching it in cytokines that modulate its replication; (3) HIV-1 infection is associated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and cytomegalovirus (CMV) compartmentalized seminal reactivation; (4) CMV and EBV concomitant seminal shedding is associated with higher HIV-1 loads in blood and seminal plasma; and (5) CMV seminal reactivation increases the seminal levels of the CCR5 ligands RANTES and eotaxin, and of the CXCR3 ligand monokine induced by gamma interferon (MIG). CONCLUSIONS: HIV-1 infection results in an aberrant production of cytokines and reactivation of EBV and CMV that further changes the seminal cytokine network. The altered seminal milieu in HIV-1 infection may be a determinant of HIV-1 sexual transmission.
BACKGROUND: Semen is the main carrier of sexually transmitted viruses, including human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). However, semen is not just a mere passive transporter of virions but also plays an active role in HIV-1 transmission through cytokines and other biological factors. METHODS: To study the relationship between viruses and the chemokine-cytokine network in the male genital tract, we measured the concentrations of 21 cytokines/chemokines and the loads of HIV-1 and of 6 herpesviruses in seminal and blood plasma from HIV-1-infected and HIV-uninfectedmen. RESULTS: We found that (1) semen is enriched in cytokines and chemokines that play key roles in HIV-1 infection or transmission; (2) HIV-1 infection changes the chemokine-cytokine network in semen, further enriching it in cytokines that modulate its replication; (3) HIV-1 infection is associated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and cytomegalovirus (CMV) compartmentalized seminal reactivation; (4) CMV and EBV concomitant seminal shedding is associated with higher HIV-1 loads in blood and seminal plasma; and (5) CMV seminal reactivation increases the seminal levels of the CCR5 ligands RANTES and eotaxin, and of the CXCR3 ligand monokine induced by gamma interferon (MIG). CONCLUSIONS:HIV-1 infection results in an aberrant production of cytokines and reactivation of EBV and CMV that further changes the seminal cytokine network. The altered seminal milieu in HIV-1 infection may be a determinant of HIV-1 sexual transmission.
Authors: Prameet M Sheth; Ali Danesh; Anthony Sheung; Anuradha Rebbapragada; Kamnoosh Shahabi; Colin Kovacs; Roberta Halpenny; David Tilley; Tony Mazzulli; Kelly MacDonald; David Kelvin; Rupert Kaul Journal: J Infect Dis Date: 2005-11-21 Impact factor: 5.226
Authors: Sarah A Robertson; Wendy V Ingman; Sean O'Leary; David J Sharkey; Kelton P Tremellen Journal: J Reprod Immunol Date: 2002 Oct-Nov Impact factor: 4.054
Authors: M S Malnati; G Tambussi; E Clerici; S Polo; M Algeri; V Nardese; L Furci; A Lazzarin; P Lusso Journal: J Biol Regul Homeost Agents Date: 1997 Jan-Jun Impact factor: 1.711
Authors: Jared M Baeten; Erin Kahle; Jairam R Lingappa; Robert W Coombs; Sinead Delany-Moretlwe; Edith Nakku-Joloba; Nelly R Mugo; Anna Wald; Lawrence Corey; Deborah Donnell; Mary S Campbell; James I Mullins; Connie Celum Journal: Sci Transl Med Date: 2011-04-06 Impact factor: 17.956
Authors: Jeffrey A Anderson; Li-Hua Ping; Oliver Dibben; Cassandra B Jabara; Leslie Arney; Laura Kincer; Yuyang Tang; Marcia Hobbs; Irving Hoffman; Peter Kazembe; Corbin D Jones; Persephone Borrow; Susan Fiscus; Myron S Cohen; Ronald Swanstrom Journal: PLoS Pathog Date: 2010-08-19 Impact factor: 6.823
Authors: Sara Gianella; Sheldon R Morris; Christy Anderson; Celsa A Spina; Milenka V Vargas; Jason A Young; Douglas D Richman; Susan J Little; Davey M Smith Journal: AIDS Date: 2013-01-02 Impact factor: 4.177
Authors: Jessica Robinson-Papp; Alexandra Nmashie; Elizabeth Pedowitz; Emma K T Benn; Mary Catherine George; Sandeep Sharma; Jacinta Murray; Josef Machac; Sherif Heiba; Saurabh Mehandru; Seunghee Kim-Schulze; Allison Navis; Isabel Elicer; Susan Morgello Journal: AIDS Date: 2018-06-01 Impact factor: 4.177
Authors: Sara Gianella; Sheldon R Morris; Milenka V Vargas; Jason A Young; Bryan Callahan; Douglas D Richman; Susan J Little; Davey M Smith Journal: J Infect Dis Date: 2012-11-12 Impact factor: 5.226
Authors: Arcadio Agudelo-Hernandez; Yue Chen; Arlene Bullotta; William G Buchanan; Cynthia R Klamar-Blain; Luann Borowski; Sharon A Riddler; Charles R Rinaldo; Bernard J C Macatangay Journal: AIDS Date: 2017-09-24 Impact factor: 4.177
Authors: Sara Gianella; Davey M Smith; Milenka V Vargas; Susan J Little; Douglas D Richman; Eric S Daar; Michael P Dube; Fan Zhang; Christina C Ginocchio; Richard H Haubrich; Sheldon R Morris Journal: Clin Infect Dis Date: 2013-04-17 Impact factor: 9.079
Authors: Andrea Lisco; Andrea Introini; Arshi Munawwar; Christophe Vanpouille; Jean-Charles Grivel; Paul Blank; Sarman Singh; Leonid Margolis Journal: Am J Reprod Immunol Date: 2012-09-24 Impact factor: 3.886