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Quinn Peters M, Domenjo-Vila E, Carlson M, Armistead B, Edlefsen PT, Gasper M, Dabee S, Whidbey C, Jaspan HB, Prlic M, Harrington WE. A non-invasive method to sample immune cells in the lower female genital tract using menstrual discs. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.11.16.567469. [PMID: 38370684 PMCID: PMC10871271 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.16.567469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
T cells in the human female genital tract (FGT) 2 are key mediators of susceptibility to and protection from infection, including HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. There is a critical need for increased understanding of the distribution and activation of T cell populations in the FGT, but current sampling methods require a healthcare provider and are expensive, limiting the ability to study these populations longitudinally. To address these challenges, we have developed a method to sample immune cells from the FGT utilizing disposable menstrual discs which are non-invasive, self-applied, and low-cost. To demonstrate reproducibility, we sampled the cervicovaginal fluid (CVF) 3 of healthy, reproductive-aged individuals using menstrual discs over three sequential days. CVF was processed for cervicovaginal cells, and high parameter flow cytometry was used to characterize immune populations. We identified large numbers of live, CD45+ leukocytes, as well as distinct populations of T cells and B cells. Within the T cell compartment, activation and suppression status of T cell subsets were consistent with previous studies of the FGT utilizing current approaches, including identification of both tissue resident and migratory populations. In addition, the T cell population structure was highly conserved across days within individuals but divergent across individuals. Our approach to sample immune cells in the FGT with menstrual discs will decrease barriers to participation and empower longitudinal sampling in future research studies.
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Peters MQ, Domenjo-Vila E, Carlson M, Armistead B, Edlefsen PT, Gasper M, Dabee S, Whidbey C, Jaspan HB, Prlic M, Harrington WE. A Noninvasive Method to Sample Immune Cells in the Lower Female Genital Tract Using Menstrual Discs. Immunohorizons 2024; 8:182-192. [PMID: 38386594 PMCID: PMC10916362 DOI: 10.4049/immunohorizons.2300105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
T cells in the human female genital tract (FGT) are key mediators of susceptibility to and protection from infection, including HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. There is a critical need for increased understanding of the distribution and activation of T cell populations in the FGT, but current sampling methods require a healthcare provider and are expensive, limiting the ability to study these populations longitudinally. To address these challenges, we have developed a method to sample immune cells from the FGT utilizing disposable menstrual discs which are noninvasive, self-applied, and low in cost. To demonstrate reproducibility, we sampled the cervicovaginal fluid of healthy, reproductive-aged individuals using menstrual discs across 3 sequential days. Cervicovaginal fluid was processed for cervicovaginal cells, and high-parameter flow cytometry was used to characterize immune populations. We identified large numbers of live, CD45+ leukocytes, as well as distinct populations of T cells and B cells. Within the T cell compartment, activation and suppression status of T cell subsets were consistent with previous studies of the FGT utilizing current approaches, including identification of both tissue-resident and migratory populations. In addition, the T cell population structure was highly conserved across days within individuals but divergent across individuals. Our approach to sample immune cells in the FGT with menstrual discs will decrease barriers to participation and empower longitudinal sampling in future research studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. Quinn Peters
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA
| | - Eva Domenjo-Vila
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA
| | - Marc Carlson
- Research Scientific Computing, Enterprise Analytics, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA
| | - Blair Armistead
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA
| | - Paul T. Edlefsen
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA
| | - Melanie Gasper
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA
| | - Smritee Dabee
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA
| | | | - Heather B. Jaspan
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
- Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
| | - Martin Prlic
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA
- Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
- Department of Immunology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
| | - Whitney E. Harrington
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
- Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
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Finocchario-Kessler S, Wexler C, Maloba M, Mabachi N, Ndikum-Moffor F, Bukusi E. Cervical cancer prevention and treatment research in Africa: a systematic review from a public health perspective. BMC Womens Health 2016; 16:29. [PMID: 27259656 PMCID: PMC4893293 DOI: 10.1186/s12905-016-0306-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 104] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2015] [Accepted: 05/21/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Women living in Africa experience the highest burden of cervical cancer. Research and investment to improve vaccination, screening, and treatment efforts are critically needed. We systematically reviewed and characterized recent research within a broader public health framework to organize and assess the range of cervical cancer research in Africa. METHODS We searched online databases and the Internet for published articles and cervical cancer reports in African countries. Inclusion criteria included publication between 2004 and 2014, cervical cancer-related content pertinent to one of the four public health categories (primary, secondary, tertiary prevention or quality of life), and conducted in or specifically relevant to countries or regions within the African continent. The study design, geographic region/country, focus of research, and key findings were documented for each eligible article and summarized to illustrate the weight and research coverage in each area. Publications with more than one focus (e.g. secondary and tertiary prevention) were categorized by the primary emphasis of the paper. Research specific to HIV-infected women or focused on feasibility issues was delineated within each of the four public health categories. RESULTS A total of 380 research articles/reports were included. The majority (54.6 %) of cervical cancer research in Africa focused on secondary prevention (i.e., screening). The number of publication focusing on primary prevention (23.4 %), particularly HPV vaccination, increased significantly in the past decade. Research regarding the treatment of precancerous lesions and invasive cervical cancer is emerging (17.6 %), but infrastructure and feasibility challenges in many countries have impeded efforts to provide and evaluate treatment. Studies assessing aspects of quality of life among women living with cervical cancer are severely limited (4.1 %). Across all categories, 11.3 % of publications focused on cervical cancer among HIV-infected women, while 17.1 % focused on aspects of feasibility for cervical cancer control efforts. CONCLUSIONS Cervical cancer research in African countries has increased steadily over the past decade, but more is needed. Tertiary prevention (i.e. treatment of disease with effective medicine) and quality of life of cervical cancer survivors are two severely under-researched areas. Similarly, there are several countries in Africa with little to no research ever conducted on cervical cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Catherine Wexler
- Department of Family Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, USA
| | - May Maloba
- Family AIDS Care and Education Services, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Kisumu, Kenya
| | - Natabhona Mabachi
- Department of Family Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, USA
| | - Florence Ndikum-Moffor
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, USA
| | - Elizabeth Bukusi
- Family AIDS Care and Education Services, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Kisumu, Kenya
- Center for Microbiology Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
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