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Choi MW, Isidoro CA, Gillgrass A. Mechanisms of mucosal immunity at the female reproductive tract involved in defense against HIV infection. Curr Opin Virol 2024; 66:101398. [PMID: 38484474 DOI: 10.1016/j.coviro.2024.101398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2023] [Revised: 02/18/2024] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
Human immunodeficiency virus-1 remains a major global health threat. Since the virus is often transmitted through sexual intercourse and women account for the majority of new infections within the most endemic regions, research on mucosal immunity at the female reproductive tract (FRT) is of paramount importance. At the FRT, there are intrinsic barriers to HIV-1 infection, such as epithelial cells and the microbiome, and immune cells of both the innate and adaptive arms are prepared to respond in case the virus overcomes the first line of defense. In this review, we discuss recent findings on FRT mucosal mechanisms of HIV-1 defense and highlight research gaps. While defense from HIV-1 infection at the FRT has been understudied, current and future research is essential to develop new therapeutics and vaccines that can protect this unique mucosal site from HIV-1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaret Wy Choi
- McMaster Immunology Research Centre, Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research, Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada
| | - Carmina A Isidoro
- McMaster Immunology Research Centre, Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research, Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada
| | - Amy Gillgrass
- McMaster Immunology Research Centre, Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research, Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada.
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Tissue-resident immunity in the female and male reproductive tract. Semin Immunopathol 2022; 44:785-799. [PMID: 35488095 PMCID: PMC9053558 DOI: 10.1007/s00281-022-00934-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The conception of how the immune system is organized has been significantly challenged over the last years. It became evident that not all lymphocytes are mobile and recirculate through secondary lymphoid organs. Instead, subsets of immune cells continuously reside in tissues until being reactivated, e.g., by a recurring pathogen or other stimuli. Consequently, the concept of tissue-resident immunity has emerged, and substantial evidence is now available to support its pivotal function in maintaining tissue homeostasis, sensing challenges and providing antimicrobial protection. Surprisingly, insights on tissue-resident immunity in the barrier tissues of the female reproductive tract are sparse and only slowly emerging. The need for protection from vaginal and amniotic infections, the uniqueness of periodic tissue shedding and renewal of the endometrial barrier tissue, and the demand for a tailored decidual immune adaptation during pregnancy highlight that tissue-resident immunity may play a crucial role in distinct compartments of the female reproductive tract. This review accentuates the characteristics of tissue-resident immune cells in the vagina, endometrium, and the decidua during pregnancy and discusses their functional role in modulating the risk for infertility, pregnancy complications, infections, or cancer. We here also review data published to date on tissue-resident immunity in the male reproductive organs, which is still a largely uncharted territory.
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Liao Y, Li X, Mou T, Zhou X, Li D, Wang L, Zhang Y, Dong X, Zheng H, Guo L, Liang Y, Jiang G, Fan S, Xu X, Xie Z, Chen H, Liu L, Li Q. Distinct infection process of SARS-CoV-2 in human bronchial epithelial cell lines. J Med Virol 2020; 92:2830-2838. [PMID: 32558946 PMCID: PMC7323243 DOI: 10.1002/jmv.26200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2020] [Accepted: 06/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Coronavirus disease 2019, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus‐2 (SARS‐CoV‐2), leads to a series of clinical symptoms of respiratory and pulmonary inflammatory reactions via unknown pathologic mechanisms related to the viral infection process in tracheal or bronchial epithelial cells. Investigation of this viral infection in the human bronchial epithelial cell line (16HBE) suggests that SARS‐CoV‐2 can enter these cells through interaction between its membrane‐localized S protein with the angiotensin‐converting enzyme 2 molecule on the host cell membrane. Further observation indicates distinct viral replication with a dynamic and moderate increase, whereby viral replication does not lead to a specific cytopathic effect but maintains a continuous release of progeny virions from infected cells. Although messenger RNA expression of various innate immune signaling molecules is altered in the cells, transcription of interferons‐α (IFN‐α), IFN‐β, and IFN‐γ is unchanged. Furthermore, expression of some interleukins (IL) related to inflammatory reactions, such as IL‐6, IL‐2, and IL‐8, is maintained at low levels, whereas that of ILs involved in immune regulation is upregulated. Interestingly, IL‐22, an IL that functions mainly in tissue repair, shows very high expression. Collectively, these data suggest a distinct infection process for this virus in respiratory epithelial cells, which may be linked to its clinicopathological mechanism. SARS‐CoV‐2 does not lead to a specific cytopathic effect in 16HBE cells, but maintains continuous release of progeny virions from infected cells. During infection, IL‐22, an interleukin that functions mainly in tissue repair, showed very high expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun Liao
- Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medicine Science & Peking Union Medical College, Yunnan Key Laboratory of Vaccine Research and Development on Severe Infectious Diseases, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Xueqi Li
- Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medicine Science & Peking Union Medical College, Yunnan Key Laboratory of Vaccine Research and Development on Severe Infectious Diseases, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Tangwei Mou
- Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medicine Science & Peking Union Medical College, Yunnan Key Laboratory of Vaccine Research and Development on Severe Infectious Diseases, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Xiaofang Zhou
- Acute Infectious Disease Laboratory, Yunnan Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Dandan Li
- Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medicine Science & Peking Union Medical College, Yunnan Key Laboratory of Vaccine Research and Development on Severe Infectious Diseases, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Lichun Wang
- Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medicine Science & Peking Union Medical College, Yunnan Key Laboratory of Vaccine Research and Development on Severe Infectious Diseases, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Ying Zhang
- Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medicine Science & Peking Union Medical College, Yunnan Key Laboratory of Vaccine Research and Development on Severe Infectious Diseases, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Xingqi Dong
- Infectious Disease Laboratory, Yunnan Provincial Infectious Disease Hospital, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Huiwen Zheng
- Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medicine Science & Peking Union Medical College, Yunnan Key Laboratory of Vaccine Research and Development on Severe Infectious Diseases, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Lei Guo
- Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medicine Science & Peking Union Medical College, Yunnan Key Laboratory of Vaccine Research and Development on Severe Infectious Diseases, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Yan Liang
- Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medicine Science & Peking Union Medical College, Yunnan Key Laboratory of Vaccine Research and Development on Severe Infectious Diseases, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Guorun Jiang
- Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medicine Science & Peking Union Medical College, Yunnan Key Laboratory of Vaccine Research and Development on Severe Infectious Diseases, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Shengtao Fan
- Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medicine Science & Peking Union Medical College, Yunnan Key Laboratory of Vaccine Research and Development on Severe Infectious Diseases, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Xingli Xu
- Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medicine Science & Peking Union Medical College, Yunnan Key Laboratory of Vaccine Research and Development on Severe Infectious Diseases, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Zhongping Xie
- Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medicine Science & Peking Union Medical College, Yunnan Key Laboratory of Vaccine Research and Development on Severe Infectious Diseases, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Hongbo Chen
- Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medicine Science & Peking Union Medical College, Yunnan Key Laboratory of Vaccine Research and Development on Severe Infectious Diseases, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Longding Liu
- Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medicine Science & Peking Union Medical College, Yunnan Key Laboratory of Vaccine Research and Development on Severe Infectious Diseases, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Qihan Li
- Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medicine Science & Peking Union Medical College, Yunnan Key Laboratory of Vaccine Research and Development on Severe Infectious Diseases, Kunming, Yunnan, China
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