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Pillay N, Mzobe GF, Letsoalo M, Kama AO, Mtshali A, Magini SN, Singh N, Govender V, Samsunder N, Naidoo M, Moodley D, Baxter C, Archary D, Ngcapu S. Performance of Softcup® menstrual cup and vulvovaginal swab samples for detection and quantification of genital cytokines. J Immunol Methods 2024; 528:113656. [PMID: 38447801 DOI: 10.1016/j.jim.2024.113656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2024] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/03/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024]
Abstract
Cytokines are important mediators of immunity in the female genital tract, and their levels may be associated with various reproductive health outcomes. However, the measurement of cytokines and chemokines in vaginal fluid samples may be influenced by a variety of factors, each with the potential to affect the sensitivity and accuracy of the assay, including the interpretation and comparison of data. We measured and compared cytokine milieu in samples collected via Softcup® menstrual cup versus vulvovaginal swabs. One hundred and eighty vulvovaginal swabs from CAPRISA 088 and 42 Softcup supernatants from CAPRISA 016 cohorts of pregnant women were used to measure the concentrations of 28 cytokines through multiplexing. Cytokines measured in this study were detectable in each of the methods however, SoftCup supernatants showed consistently, higher detectability, expression ratios, and mean concentration of cytokines than vulvovaginal swabs. While mean concentrations differed, the majority of cytokines correlated between SoftCup supernatants and vulvovaginal swabs. Additionally, there were no significant differences in a number of participants between the two sampling methods for the classification of genital inflammation. Our findings suggest that SoftCup supernatants and vulvovaginal swab samples are suitable for the collection of genital specimens to study biological markers of genital inflammatory response. However, the Softcup menstrual cup performs better for the detection and quantification of soluble biomarkers that are found in low concentrations in cervicovaginal fluid.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nashlin Pillay
- Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA), Durban, South Africa; Department of Medical Microbiology, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Gugulethu Favourate Mzobe
- Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA), Durban, South Africa; Department of Medical Microbiology, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Marothi Letsoalo
- Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA), Durban, South Africa
| | - Asavela Olona Kama
- Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA), Durban, South Africa
| | - Andile Mtshali
- Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA), Durban, South Africa; Department of Medical Microbiology, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Stanley Nzuzo Magini
- Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA), Durban, South Africa
| | - Nikkishia Singh
- Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA), Durban, South Africa
| | - Vani Govender
- Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA), Durban, South Africa; Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, School of Clinical Medicine, University of KwaZulu Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Natasha Samsunder
- Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA), Durban, South Africa
| | - Megeshinee Naidoo
- Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA), Durban, South Africa
| | - Dhayendre Moodley
- Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA), Durban, South Africa; Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, School of Clinical Medicine, University of KwaZulu Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Cheryl Baxter
- Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA), Durban, South Africa; Centre for Epidemic Response and Innovation (CERI), School of Data Science and Computational Thinking, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
| | - Derseree Archary
- Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA), Durban, South Africa; Department of Medical Microbiology, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Sinaye Ngcapu
- Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA), Durban, South Africa; Department of Medical Microbiology, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa.
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Happel AU, Sivro A, Liebenberg L, Passmore JA, Mitchell CM. Considerations for Choosing Soluble Immune Markers to Determine Safety of Novel Vaginal Products. FRONTIERS IN REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH 2022; 4:899277. [PMID: 36303630 PMCID: PMC9580790 DOI: 10.3389/frph.2022.899277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Several soluble cytokines have been associated with microbicide-induced cervicovaginal inflammation, non-optimal vaginal microbiota, and risk of HIV acquisition. Many of these biomarkers are used in preclinical assays to estimate the safety of vaginally applied products. However, there are currently no validated biomarkers to evaluate the safety of novel vaginal products in clinical trials. This hinders the rapid and rational selection of novel products being tested in first-in-human trials. We reviewed available literature to assess how best to select and measure soluble immune markers to determine product safety in first in human clinical trials of novel vaginal products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna-Ursula Happel
- Department of Pathology, Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Aida Sivro
- Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA), Durban, South Africa
- Department of Medical Microbiology, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Lenine Liebenberg
- Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA), Durban, South Africa
- Department of Medical Microbiology, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Jo Ann Passmore
- Department of Pathology, Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA), Durban, South Africa
- National Health Laboratory Service, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Caroline M. Mitchell
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, United States
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- *Correspondence: Caroline M. Mitchell
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Vincent KL, Miller AL, Maxwell C, Richardson-Harman N, O'Neill C, Dawson LN, Madsen T, Walker C, Swartz G, Pyles RB. Development of Gram Stain Scoring System Based on Pro-Inflammatory Cytokines in the Sheep Model for Testing Toxicity of Vaginal Products. FRONTIERS IN REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH 2021; 3:714798. [PMID: 36304006 PMCID: PMC9580737 DOI: 10.3389/frph.2021.714798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2021] [Accepted: 10/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Development of safe, effective products to prevent the sexual transmission of HIV remains a priority. Prior to clinical testing, the products must undergo strict safety evaluations to avoid mucosal drug toxicity, inflammation, and vaginal microbiome (VMB) shifts. Based on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidance, we designed a study to measure the inflammatory markers and VMB changes after intravaginal treatment with products that have been associated with toxicity, with the objective to develop a Gram stain slide scoring system, similar to Nugent scoring, correlated with the proinflammatory cytokines in sheep. Methods: Non-pregnant Dorset ewes (n = 34) were randomized to receive 5 ml intravaginal 4% nonoxynol-9 (N9) contraceptive gel, positive control (0.2% benzalkonium chloride), placebo control [hydroxethyl cellulose (HEC)], or no application daily for 10 days, with 11-day post-treatment follow-up. The vaginal swabs were collected for the cytokines, VMB, and Gram-stained slides. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) analysis of cytokines interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-8, CXCL10, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) was used to determine inflammatory state of the sample. Vaginal microbiome community types (CT) were utilized to create five equivalent slide subsets for iterative development of a Gram-stained slide scoring system with comparisons with inflammatory state based on the cytokine levels. Results: Digital images of the Gram-stained slides were scored based on Gram staining and morphology of bacteria, presence of sheep epithelial cells, and immune cells. The scoring system was modified in an iterative fashion with weighting based on cytokine categorization of inflamed samples, with three of four cytokine values above the mean indicating that the sample was inflamed. The parameters in the final version of the scoring system included mature epithelial cells, Gram-negative rods, and Gram-positive diplococci indicating normal and immune cells indicating inflammation. The area under the receiver operator characteristic curve (ROC AUC) was 0.725 (ROC AUCs range between 0.5 and 1.0) with a greater area indicating higher diagnostic ability of a test with a binary outcome: inflamed or normal. Conclusion: The scoring system, derived from the advanced VMB and cytokine analyses, provides a validated, practical method for quantification of Gram-stained slides that can be performed in most laboratories, increasing the potential for standardization. The training plan can assist laboratories to determine the safety of intravaginal products in their sheep studies or the methodological approach can be applied to other animal models where such data are also needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen L. Vincent
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, TX, United States
- *Correspondence: Kathleen L. Vincent
| | - Aaron L. Miller
- Department of Pediatrics, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, TX, United States
| | - Carrie Maxwell
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, TX, United States
| | | | - Cynthia O'Neill
- Advanced Bioscience Laboratories, Inc., Rockville, MD, United States
| | - Lauren N. Dawson
- Office of Clinical Research, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, TX, United States
| | | | - Cattlena Walker
- Advanced Bioscience Laboratories, Inc., Rockville, MD, United States
| | - Glenn Swartz
- Advanced Bioscience Laboratories, Inc., Rockville, MD, United States
| | - Richard B. Pyles
- Department of Pediatrics, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, TX, United States
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, TX, United States
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Nanomedicines for the topical treatment of vulvovaginal infections: Addressing the challenges of antimicrobial resistance. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2021; 178:113855. [PMID: 34214638 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2021.113855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2021] [Revised: 05/24/2021] [Accepted: 06/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Recent years have, surprisingly, witnessed an increase in incidence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). At the same time, antimicrobial therapy came under the threat of ever rising antimicrobial resistance (AMR), resulting in STIs with extremely limited therapy options. In this review, we addressed the challenges of treating vaginal infections in an era of AMR. We focused on published work regarding nanomedicine destined for localized treatment of vaginal infections. Localized therapy offers numerous advantages such as assuring high drug concentration at the infection site, limiting systemic drug exposure that can lead to faster development of AMR reduction in the systemic side effects and potentially safe therapy in pregnancy. We provided a state-of-the-art overview of nanoformulations proposed to topically treat STIs, emphasizing the challenges and advantages of each type of nanocarriers, as well as issues of potential toxicity.
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Sriprasert I, Pakrashi T, Shah A, Jacot T, Bernick B, Mirkin S, Archer DF. A pilot study: estradiol/progesterone effect on cervico-vaginal cytokines in premenopause and postmenopause. Climacteric 2020; 23:306-310. [DOI: 10.1080/13697137.2020.1727878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- I. Sriprasert
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - T. Pakrashi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Jones Institute for Reproductive Medicine/Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA, USA
| | - A. Shah
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Jones Institute for Reproductive Medicine/Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA, USA
| | - T. Jacot
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Jones Institute for Reproductive Medicine/Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA, USA
| | | | | | - D. F. Archer
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Jones Institute for Reproductive Medicine/Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA, USA
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Molenaar MC, Singer M, Ouburg S. The two-sided role of the vaginal microbiome in Chlamydia trachomatis and Mycoplasma genitalium pathogenesis. J Reprod Immunol 2018; 130:11-17. [PMID: 30149363 DOI: 10.1016/j.jri.2018.08.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2018] [Revised: 08/13/2018] [Accepted: 08/20/2018] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Sexually transmitted infections (STI) can have major consequences for the reproductive health of women. Mycoplasma genitalium is a STI that is not as well studied but causes pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) among other complications. Another well-known STI is Chlamydia trachomatis, notorious for its capability to cause infertility. Both C. trachomatis and M. genitalium share some of the same clinical aspects. Parts of the pathogenesis of C. trachomatis and M. genitalium infections are unclear but potential factors are the microbiome and other STIs. The healthy vaginal microbiome is dominated by Lactobacillus spp; these bacteria protect the host against invading bacteria like C. trachomatis and M. genitalium by producing antibacterial compounds and providing a mechanical barrier. A dysbiosis of the vaginal microbiome is characterized by a non-Lactobacillus spp. dominated microbiome, also known as bacterial vaginosis (BV). BV and BV associated bacteria play a role in the pathogenesis of STIs such as C. trachomatis and M. genitalium. The different species of BV associated bacteria have distinct characteristics that could play a role in C. trachomatis and M. genitalium infections. Host factors should also be considered when analysing the interaction of C. trachomatis and M. genitalium and the microbiome. One important factor is the hormonal homeostasis. Oral hormonal contraception influences the vaginal milieu and could influence the infection process of STIs. Overall, this review attempts to give an overview of the pathogenesisof C. trachomatis and M. genitalium infections and the relationship between M. genitalium, C. trachomatis, and the vaginal microbiome.
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Affiliation(s)
- M C Molenaar
- Laboratory of Immunogenetics, Department Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - M Singer
- Laboratory of Immunogenetics, Department Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Tubascan, Spin-Off at the Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - S Ouburg
- Laboratory of Immunogenetics, Department Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Tubascan, Spin-Off at the Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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7
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Thurman AR, Schwartz JL, Brache V, Clark MR, McCormick T, Chandra N, Marzinke MA, Stanczyk FZ, Dezzutti CS, Hillier SL, Herold BC, Fichorova R, Asin SN, Rollenhagen C, Weiner D, Kiser P, Doncel GF. Randomized, placebo controlled phase I trial of safety, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics and acceptability of tenofovir and tenofovir plus levonorgestrel vaginal rings in women. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0199778. [PMID: 29953547 PMCID: PMC6023238 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0199778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2017] [Accepted: 06/07/2018] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
To prevent the global health burdens of human immunodeficiency virus [HIV] and unintended/mistimed pregnancies, we developed an intravaginal ring [IVR] that delivers tenofovir [TFV] at ~10mg/day alone or with levonorgestrel [LNG] at ~20μg/day for 90 days. We present safety, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, acceptability and drug release data in healthy women. CONRAD A13-128 was a randomized, placebo controlled phase I study. We screened 86 women; 51 were randomized to TFV, TFV/LNG or placebo IVR [2:2:1] and 50 completed all visits, using the IVR for approximately 15 days. We assessed safety by adverse events, colposcopy, vaginal microbiota, epithelial integrity, mucosal histology and immune cell numbers and phenotype, cervicovaginal [CV] cytokines and antimicrobial proteins and changes in systemic laboratory measurements, and LNG and TFV pharmacokinetics in multiple compartments. TFV pharmacodynamic activity was measured by evaluating CV fluid [CVF] and tissue for antiviral activity using in vitro models. LNG pharmacodynamic assessments were timed based on peak urinary luteinizing hormone levels. All IVRs were safe with no significant colposcopic, mucosal, immune and microbiota changes and were acceptable. Among TFV containing IVR users, median and mean CV aspirate TFV concentrations remained above 100,000 ng/mL 4 hours post IVR insertion and mean TFV-diphosphate [DP] concentrations in vaginal tissue remained above 1,000 fmol/mg even 3 days post IVR removal. CVF of women using TFV-containing IVRs completely inhibited [94-100%] HIV infection in vitro. TFV/LNG IVR users had mean serum LNG concentrations exceeding 300 pg/mL within 1 hour, remaining high throughout IVR use. All LNG IVR users had a cervical mucus Insler score <10 and the majority [95%] were anovulatory or had abnormal cervical mucus sperm penetration. Estimated in vivo TFV and LNG release rates were within expected ranges. All IVRs were safe with the active ones delivering sustained high concentrations of TFV locally. LNG caused changes in cervical mucus, sperm penetration, and ovulation compatible with contraceptive efficacy. The TFV and TFV/LNG rings are ready for expanded 90 day clinical testing. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov #NCT02235662.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Ries Thurman
- CONRAD, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Arlington, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Jill L. Schwartz
- CONRAD, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, Virginia, United States of America
| | | | - Meredith R. Clark
- CONRAD, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Arlington, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Timothy McCormick
- CONRAD, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Arlington, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Neelima Chandra
- CONRAD, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Mark A. Marzinke
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Frank Z. Stanczyk
- University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Charlene S. Dezzutti
- University of Pittsburgh, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences, Department of Infectious Diseases & Microbiology, Graduate School of Public Health, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Sharon L. Hillier
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Departments of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences and Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Betsy C. Herold
- Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, United States of America
| | - Raina Fichorova
- Laboratory of Genital Tract Biology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Susana N. Asin
- V.A. Medical Center, White River Junction, VT and Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, New Hampshire
| | - Christiane Rollenhagen
- V.A. Medical Center, White River Junction, VT and Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, New Hampshire
| | - Debra Weiner
- FHI360, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Patrick Kiser
- Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Gustavo F. Doncel
- CONRAD, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Arlington, Virginia, United States of America
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Implants attenuating vaginal T lymphocyte activation and inflammation. J Control Release 2018; 277:183. [PMID: 29678269 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2018.04.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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Effects of Female Sex Hormones on Susceptibility to HSV-2 in Vaginal Cells Grown in Air-Liquid Interface. Viruses 2016; 8:v8090241. [PMID: 27589787 PMCID: PMC5035955 DOI: 10.3390/v8090241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2016] [Revised: 08/19/2016] [Accepted: 08/22/2016] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The lower female reproductive tract (FRT) is comprised of the cervix and vagina, surfaces that are continuously exposed to a variety of commensal and pathogenic organisms. Sexually transmitted viruses, such as herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2), have to traverse the mucosal epithelial lining of the FRT to establish infection. The majority of current culture systems that model the host-pathogen interactions in the mucosal epithelium have limitations in simulating physiological conditions as they employ a liquid-liquid interface (LLI), in which both apical and basolateral surfaces are submerged in growth medium. We designed the current study to simulate in vivo conditions by growing an immortalized vaginal epithelial cell line (Vk2/E6E7) in culture with an air-liquid interface (ALI) and examined the effects of female sex hormones on their growth, differentiation, and susceptibility to HSV-2 under these conditions, in comparison to LLI cultures. ALI conditions induced Vk2/E6E7 cells to grow into multi-layered cultures compared to the monolayers present in LLI conditions. Vk2 cells in ALI showed higher production of cytokeratin in the presence of estradiol (E2), compared to cells grown in progesterone (P4). Cells grown under ALI conditions were exposed to HSV-2-green fluorescent protein (GFP) and the highest infection and replication was observed in the presence of P4. Altogether, this study suggests that ALI cultures more closely simulate the in vivo conditions of the FRT compared to the conventional LLI cultures. Furthermore, under these conditions P4 was found to confer higher susceptibility to HSV-2 infection in vaginal cells. The vaginal ALI culture system offers a better alternative to study host-pathogen interactions.
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Francis SC, Hou Y, Baisley K, van de Wijgert J, Watson-Jones D, Ao TT, Herrera C, Maganja K, Andreasen A, Kapiga S, Coulton GR, Hayes RJ, Shattock RJ. Immune Activation in the Female Genital Tract: Expression Profiles of Soluble Proteins in Women at High Risk for HIV Infection. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0143109. [PMID: 26814891 PMCID: PMC4729472 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0143109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2015] [Accepted: 10/30/2015] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Soluble cervicovaginal biomarkers of inflammation, immune activation and risk of HIV acquisition are needed to reliably assess the safety of new biomedical prevention strategies including vaccines and microbicides. However, a fuller understanding of expression profiles in women at high risk for HIV infection is crucial to the effective use of these potential biomarkers in Phase 3 trial settings. We have measured 45 soluble proteins and peptides in cervicovaginal lavage samples from 100 HIV negative women at high risk for HIV infection. Women were followed over one menstrual cycle to investigate modulation by hormonal contraception, menstrual cycle phase, recent sexual exposure and intravaginal practices. Women using injectable DMPA had increased concentration of several soluble proteins of the innate and adaptive immune system, including IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-2, MIP-1β, IP-10, IL-8, TGF-β, HBD4, IgA, IgG1, and IgG2. Women using combined oral contraceptives had a similar signature. There were differences in concentrations among samples from post-ovulation compared to pre-ovulation, notably increased immunoglobulins. Increased prostate-specific antigen, indicative of recent sexual exposure, was correlated with increased IL-6, MCP-1, and SLPI, and decreased GM-CSF and HBD3. The identified signature profiles may prove critical in evaluating the potential safety and impact on risk of HIV acquisition of different biomedical intervention strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suzanna C. Francis
- MRC Tropical Epidemiology Group, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
- Mwanza Intervention Trials Unit, National Institute for Medical Research, Mwanza, Tanzania, United Republic of Tanzania
- * E-mail:
| | - Yanwen Hou
- Division of Basic Medical Sciences, St. George's Medical School, University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Kathy Baisley
- MRC Tropical Epidemiology Group, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Janneke van de Wijgert
- Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Deborah Watson-Jones
- Mwanza Intervention Trials Unit, National Institute for Medical Research, Mwanza, Tanzania, United Republic of Tanzania
- Clinical Research Department, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Trong T. Ao
- MRC Tropical Epidemiology Group, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
- Mwanza Intervention Trials Unit, National Institute for Medical Research, Mwanza, Tanzania, United Republic of Tanzania
| | - Carolina Herrera
- Mucosal Infection and Immunity Group, Imperial College, Department of Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Kaballa Maganja
- Mwanza Intervention Trials Unit, National Institute for Medical Research, Mwanza, Tanzania, United Republic of Tanzania
| | - Aura Andreasen
- Mwanza Intervention Trials Unit, National Institute for Medical Research, Mwanza, Tanzania, United Republic of Tanzania
- Clinical Research Department, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Saidi Kapiga
- MRC Tropical Epidemiology Group, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
- Mwanza Intervention Trials Unit, National Institute for Medical Research, Mwanza, Tanzania, United Republic of Tanzania
| | - Gary R. Coulton
- Division of Basic Medical Sciences, St. George's Medical School, University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Richard J. Hayes
- MRC Tropical Epidemiology Group, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Robin J. Shattock
- Mucosal Infection and Immunity Group, Imperial College, Department of Medicine, London, United Kingdom
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Archary D, Liebenberg LJ, Werner L, Tulsi S, Majola N, Naicker N, Dlamini S, Hope TJ, Samsunder N, Abdool Karim SS, Morris L, Passmore JAS, Garrett NJ. Randomized Cross-Sectional Study to Compare HIV-1 Specific Antibody and Cytokine Concentrations in Female Genital Secretions Obtained by Menstrual Cup and Cervicovaginal Lavage. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0131906. [PMID: 26147923 PMCID: PMC4492781 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0131906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2015] [Accepted: 06/08/2015] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Optimizing methods for genital specimen collection to accurately characterize mucosal immune responses is a priority for the HIV prevention field. The menstrual cup (MC) has been proposed as an alternative to other methods including cervicovaginal lavage (CVL), but no study has yet formally compared these two methods. Methods Forty HIV-infected, antiretroviral therapy-naïve women from the CAPRISA 002 acute HIV infection cohort study were randomized to have genital fluid collected using the MC with subsequent CVL, or by CVL alone. Qualitative data, which assessed levels of comfort and acceptability of MC using a 5-point Likert scale, was collected. Luminex multiplex assays were used to measure HIV-specific IgG against multiple gene products and 48 cytokines. Results The majority (94%) of participants indicated that insertion, wearing and removal of the MC was comfortable. Nineteen MCs with 18 matching, subsequent CVLs and 20 randomized CVLs were available for analysis. Mucosal IgG responses against four HIV-antigens were detected in 99% of MCs compared to only 80% of randomized CVLs (p = 0.029). Higher specific antibody activity and total antibodies were observed in MCs compared to CVL (all p<0.001). In MCs, 42/48 (88%) cytokines were in the detectable range in all participants compared to 27/48 (54%) in CVL (p<0.001). Concentrations of 22/41 cytokines (53.7%) were significantly higher in fluid collected by MC. Both total IgG (r = 0.63; p = 0.005) and cytokine concentrations (r = 0.90; p<0.001) correlated strongly between MC and corresponding post-MC CVL. Conclusions MC sampling improves the detection of mucosal cytokines and antibodies, particularly those present at low concentrations. MC may therefore represent an ideal tool to assess immunological parameters in genital secretions, without interfering with concurrent collection of conventional CVL samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Derseree Archary
- Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa, Nelson R. Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu–Natal, Durban, South Africa
- * E-mail:
| | - Lenine J. Liebenberg
- Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa, Nelson R. Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu–Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Lise Werner
- Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa, Nelson R. Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu–Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Sahil Tulsi
- Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa, Nelson R. Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu–Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Nelisile Majola
- Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa, Nelson R. Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu–Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Nivashnee Naicker
- Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa, Nelson R. Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu–Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Sarah Dlamini
- Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa, Nelson R. Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu–Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Thomas J. Hope
- Department of Cell & Molecular Biology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Natasha Samsunder
- Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa, Nelson R. Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu–Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Salim S. Abdool Karim
- Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa, Nelson R. Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu–Natal, Durban, South Africa
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Lynn Morris
- Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa, Nelson R. Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu–Natal, Durban, South Africa
- National Institute for Communicable Diseases, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Jo-Ann S. Passmore
- Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa, Nelson R. Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu–Natal, Durban, South Africa
- Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Observatory, Cape Town, South Africa
- National Health Laboratory Services, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Nigel J. Garrett
- Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa, Nelson R. Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu–Natal, Durban, South Africa
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Zalenskaya IA, Joseph T, Bavarva J, Yousefieh N, Jackson SS, Fashemi T, Yamamoto HS, Settlage R, Fichorova RN, Doncel GF. Gene Expression Profiling of Human Vaginal Cells In Vitro Discriminates Compounds with Pro-Inflammatory and Mucosa-Altering Properties: Novel Biomarkers for Preclinical Testing of HIV Microbicide Candidates. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0128557. [PMID: 26052926 PMCID: PMC4459878 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0128557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2015] [Accepted: 04/28/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Inflammation and immune activation of the cervicovaginal mucosa are considered factors that increase susceptibility to HIV infection. Therefore, it is essential to screen candidate anti-HIV microbicides for potential mucosal immunomodulatory/inflammatory effects prior to further clinical development. The goal of this study was to develop an in vitro method for preclinical evaluation of the inflammatory potential of new candidate microbicides using a microarray gene expression profiling strategy. METHODS To this end, we compared transcriptomes of human vaginal cells (Vk2/E6E7) treated with well-characterized pro-inflammatory (PIC) and non-inflammatory (NIC) compounds. PICs included compounds with different mechanisms of action. Gene expression was analyzed using Affymetrix U133 Plus 2 arrays. Data processing was performed using GeneSpring 11.5 (Agilent Technologies, Santa Clara, CA). RESULTS Microarraray comparative analysis allowed us to generate a panel of 20 genes that were consistently deregulated by PICs compared to NICs, thus distinguishing between these two groups. Functional analysis mapped 14 of these genes to immune and inflammatory responses. This was confirmed by the fact that PICs induced NFkB pathway activation in Vk2 cells. By testing microbicide candidates previously characterized in clinical trials we demonstrated that the selected PIC-associated genes properly identified compounds with mucosa-altering effects. The discriminatory power of these genes was further demonstrated after culturing vaginal cells with vaginal bacteria. Prevotella bivia, prevalent bacteria in the disturbed microbiota of bacterial vaginosis, induced strong upregulation of seven selected PIC-associated genes, while a commensal Lactobacillus gasseri associated to vaginal health did not cause any changes. CONCLUSIONS In vitro evaluation of the immunoinflammatory potential of microbicides using the PIC-associated genes defined in this study could help in the initial screening of candidates prior to entering clinical trials. Additional characterization of these genes can provide further insight into the cervicovaginal immunoinflammatory and mucosal-altering processes that facilitate or limit HIV transmission with implications for the design of prevention strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irina A Zalenskaya
- CONRAD, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Theresa Joseph
- CONRAD, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Jasmin Bavarva
- Virginia Bioinformatics Institute, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Nazita Yousefieh
- CONRAD, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Suzanne S Jackson
- CONRAD, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Titilayo Fashemi
- Laboratory of Genital Tract Biology, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Hidemi S Yamamoto
- Laboratory of Genital Tract Biology, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Robert Settlage
- Virginia Bioinformatics Institute, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Raina N Fichorova
- Laboratory of Genital Tract Biology, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Gustavo F Doncel
- CONRAD, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, Virginia, United States of America
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Ensign LM, Lai SK, Wang YY, Yang M, Mert O, Hanes J, Cone R. Pretreatment of human cervicovaginal mucus with pluronic F127 enhances nanoparticle penetration without compromising mucus barrier properties to herpes simplex virus. Biomacromolecules 2014; 15:4403-9. [PMID: 25347518 PMCID: PMC4261994 DOI: 10.1021/bm501419z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Mucosal drug delivery nanotechnologies are limited by the mucus barrier that protects nearly all epithelial surfaces not covered with skin. Most polymeric nanoparticles, including polystyrene nanoparticles (PS), strongly adhere to mucus, thereby limiting penetration and facilitating rapid clearance from the body. Here, we demonstrate that PS rapidly penetrate human cervicovaginal mucus (CVM), if the CVM has been pretreated with sufficient concentrations of Pluronic F127. Importantly, the diffusion rate of large polyethylene glycol (PEG)-coated, nonmucoadhesive nanoparticles (PS-PEG) did not change in F127-pretreated CVM, implying that F127 did not significantly alter the native pore structure of CVM. Additionally, herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) remains adherent in F127-pretreated CVM, indicating that the presence of F127 did not reduce adhesive interactions between CVM and the virions. In contrast to treatment with a surfactant that has been approved for vaginal use as a spermicide (nonoxynol-9 or N9), there was no increase in inflammatory cytokine release in the vaginal tract of mice after daily application of 1% F127 for 1 week. Pluronic F127 pretreatment holds potential as a method to safely improve the distribution, retention, and efficacy of nanoparticle formulations without compromising CVM barrier properties to pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura M Ensign
- Center for Nanomedicine, ‡Department of Ophthalmology, The Wilmer Eye Institute, ⊥Department of Biomedical Engineering, and ○Departments of Neurosurgery and Oncology, Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine , Baltimore, Maryland, United States
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Acceptability and feasibility of repeated mucosal specimen collection in clinical trial participants in Kenya. PLoS One 2014; 9:e110228. [PMID: 25360819 PMCID: PMC4215886 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0110228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2014] [Accepted: 09/09/2014] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mucosal specimens are essential to evaluate compartmentalized immune responses to HIV vaccine candidates and other mucosally targeted investigational products. We studied the acceptability and feasibility of repeated mucosal sampling in East African clinical trial participants at low risk of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. METHODS AND FINDINGS The Kenya AIDS Vaccine Initiative (KAVI) enrolled participants into three Phase 1 trials of preventive HIV candidate vaccines in 2011-2012 at two clinical research centers in Nairobi. After informed consent to a mucosal sub-study, participants were asked to undergo collection of mucosal secretions (saliva, oral fluids, semen, cervico-vaginal and rectal), but could opt out of any collection at any visit. Specimens were collected at baseline and two additional time points. A tolerability questionnaire was administered at the final sub-study visit. Of 105 trial participants, 27 of 34 women (79%) and 62 of 71 men (87%) enrolled in the mucosal sub-study. Nearly all sub-study participants gave saliva and oral fluids at all visits. Semen was collected from about half the participating men (47-48%) at all visits. Cervico-vaginal secretions were collected by Softcup from about two thirds of women (63%) at baseline, increasing to 78% at the following visits, with similar numbers for cervical secretion collection by Merocel sponge; about half of women (52%) gave cervico-vaginal samples at all visits. Rectal secretions were collected with Merocel sponge from about a quarter of both men and women (24%) at all 3 visits, with 16% of men and 19% of women giving rectal samples at all visits. CONCLUSIONS Repeated mucosal sampling in clinical trial participants in Kenya is feasible, with a good proportion of participants consenting to most sampling methods with the exception of rectal samples. Experienced staff members of both sexes and trained counselors with standardized messaging may improve acceptance of rectal sampling.
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15
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Vaginal cytokines do not differ between postmenopausal women with and without symptoms of vulvovaginal irritation. Menopause 2014; 21:840-5. [DOI: 10.1097/gme.0000000000000179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Jespers V, Harandi AM, Hinkula J, Medaglini D, Grand RL, Stahl-Hennig C, Bogers W, Habib RE, Wegmann F, Fraser C, Cranage M, Shattock RJ, Spetz AL. Assessment of mucosal immunity to HIV-1. Expert Rev Vaccines 2014; 9:381-94. [DOI: 10.1586/erv.10.21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
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Birse KM, Burgener A, Westmacott GR, McCorrister S, Novak RM, Ball TB. Unbiased proteomics analysis demonstrates significant variability in mucosal immune factor expression depending on the site and method of collection. PLoS One 2013; 8:e79505. [PMID: 24244515 PMCID: PMC3828359 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0079505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2013] [Accepted: 09/22/2013] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Female genital tract secretions are commonly sampled by lavage of the ectocervix and vaginal vault or via a sponge inserted into the endocervix for evaluating inflammation status and immune factors critical for HIV microbicide and vaccine studies. This study uses a proteomics approach to comprehensively compare the efficacy of these methods, which sample from different compartments of the female genital tract, for the collection of immune factors. Matching sponge and lavage samples were collected from 10 healthy women and were analyzed by tandem mass spectrometry. Data was analyzed by a combination of differential protein expression analysis, hierarchical clustering and pathway analysis. Of the 385 proteins identified, endocervical sponge samples collected nearly twice as many unique proteins as cervicovaginal lavage (111 vs. 61) with 55% of proteins common to both (213). Each method/site identified 73 unique proteins that have roles in host immunity according to their gene ontology. Sponge samples enriched for specific inflammation pathways including acute phase response proteins (p = 3.37×10−24) and LXR/RXR immune activation pathways (p = 8.82×10−22) while the role IL-17A in psoriasis pathway (p = 5.98×10−4) and the complement system pathway (p = 3.91×10−3) were enriched in lavage samples. Many host defense factors were differentially enriched (p<0.05) between sites including known/potential antimicrobial factors (n = 21), S100 proteins (n = 9), and immune regulatory factors such as serpins (n = 7). Immunoglobulins (n = 6) were collected at comparable levels in abundance in each site although 25% of those identified were unique to sponge samples. This study demonstrates significant differences in types and quantities of immune factors and inflammation pathways collected by each sampling technique. Therefore, clinical studies that measure mucosal immune activation or factors assessing HIV transmission should utilize both collection methods to obtain the greatest representation of immune factors secreted into the female genital tract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenzie M. Birse
- Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
- Proteomics Group, National Lab for HIV Immunology, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Adam Burgener
- Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
- Proteomics Group, National Lab for HIV Immunology, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
- National Lab for HIV Immunology, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Garrett R. Westmacott
- Mass Spectrometry Core Facility, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Stuart McCorrister
- Mass Spectrometry Core Facility, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Richard M. Novak
- Section of Infectious Diseases, University of Illinois, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - T. Blake Ball
- Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
- Proteomics Group, National Lab for HIV Immunology, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
- Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
- National Lab for HIV Immunology, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
- * E-mail:
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Gupta SK, Nutan. Clinical use of vaginal or rectally applied microbicides in patients suffering from HIV/AIDS. HIV AIDS-RESEARCH AND PALLIATIVE CARE 2013; 5:295-307. [PMID: 24174883 PMCID: PMC3808211 DOI: 10.2147/hiv.s39164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Microbicides, primarily used as topical pre-exposure prophylaxis, have been proposed to prevent sexual transmission of HIV. This review covers the trends and challenges in the development of safe and effective microbicides to prevent sexual transmission of HIV Initial phases of microbicide development used such surfactants as nonoxynol-9 (N-9), C13G, and sodium lauryl sulfate, aiming to inactivate the virus. Clinical trials of microbicides based on N-9 and C31G failed to inhibit sexual transmission of HIV. On the contrary, N-9 enhanced susceptibility to sexual transmission of HIV-1. Subsequently, microbicides based on polyanions and a variety of other compounds that inhibit the binding, fusion, or entry of virus to the host cells were evaluated for their efficacy in different clinical setups. Most of these trials failed to show either safety or efficacy for prevention of HIV transmission. The next phase of microbicide development involved antiretroviral drugs. Microbicide in the form of 1% tenofovir vaginal gel when tested in a Phase IIb trial (CAPRISA 004) in a coitally dependent manner revealed that tenofovir gel users were 39% less likely to become HIV-infected compared to placebo control. However, in another trial (VOICE MTN 003), tenofovir gel used once daily in a coitally independent mode failed to show any efficacy to prevent HIV infection. Tenofovir gel is currently in a Phase III safety and efficacy trial in South Africa (FACTS 001) employing a coitally dependent dosing regimen. Further, long-acting microbicide-delivery systems (vaginal ring) for slow release of such antiretroviral drugs as dapivirine are also undergoing clinical trials. Discovering new markers as correlates of protective efficacy, novel long-acting delivery systems with improved adherence in the use of microbicides, discovering new compounds effective against a broad spectrum of HIV strains, developing multipurpose technologies incorporating additional features of efficacy against other sexually transmitted infections, and contraception will help in moving the field of microbicide development forward.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satish Kumar Gupta
- Reproductive Cell Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Immunology, New Delhi, India
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Li L, Ben Y, Yuan S, Liu A, Wu H, Xu J, Zhang X. Recruitment of HIV-1 target cells at topical mucosal sites: a sensitive and early marker for determining the safety of microbicide candidates. Emerg Microbes Infect 2013; 2:e42. [PMID: 26038476 PMCID: PMC3820983 DOI: 10.1038/emi.2013.42] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2013] [Revised: 06/03/2013] [Accepted: 06/03/2013] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
To explore early biomarkers for establishing more sensitive safety evaluation assays in preclinical settings that determine the potential risks during the application of microbicide candidates, three representative microbicide candidates (cellulose sulphate, nonoxynol-9 and tenofovir), whose safety profiles have been well established in clinical trials, were included to gauge the sensitivities of different assays. Both mouse models and cell lines were employed to determine the sensitivities. The recruitment of immune cells at topical mucosal sites and the upregulation of HIV receptor/coreceptors in vitro were identified as highly sensitive biomarkers of the impact of microbicide candidates. Our data suggest that different evaluations/assays have their inherent sensitivities, and at least one assay from each sensitivity level should be included in the safety evaluation algorithm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liangzhu Li
- Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of Ministry of Education/Ministry of Health, Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University , Shanghai 201508, China
| | - Yinyin Ben
- Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of Ministry of Education/Ministry of Health, Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University , Shanghai 201508, China
| | - Songhua Yuan
- Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of Ministry of Education/Ministry of Health, Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University , Shanghai 201508, China
| | - Aiping Liu
- Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of Ministry of Education/Ministry of Health, Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University , Shanghai 201508, China
| | - Huanmei Wu
- Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of Ministry of Education/Ministry of Health, Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University , Shanghai 201508, China
| | - Jianqing Xu
- Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of Ministry of Education/Ministry of Health, Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University , Shanghai 201508, China
| | - Xiaoyan Zhang
- Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of Ministry of Education/Ministry of Health, Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University , Shanghai 201508, China
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Ballou B, Andreko SK, Osuna-Highley E, McRaven M, Catalone T, Bruchez MP, Hope TJ, Labib ME. Nanoparticle transport from mouse vagina to adjacent lymph nodes. PLoS One 2012; 7:e51995. [PMID: 23284844 PMCID: PMC3528720 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0051995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2012] [Accepted: 11/12/2012] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
To test the feasibility of localized intravaginal therapy directed to neighboring lymph nodes, the transport of quantum dots across the vaginal wall was investigated. Quantum dots instilled into the mouse vagina were transported across the vaginal mucosa into draining lymph nodes, but not into distant nodes. Most of the particles were transported to the lumbar nodes; far fewer were transported to the inguinal nodes. A low level of transport was evident at 4 hr after intravaginal instillation, and transport peaked at about 36 hr after instillation. Transport was greatly enhanced by prior vaginal instillation of Nonoxynol-9. Hundreds of micrograms of nanoparticles/kg tissue (ppb) were found in the lumbar lymph nodes at 36 hr post-instillation. Our results imply that targeted transport of microbicides or immunogens from the vagina to local lymph organs is feasible. They also offer an in vivo model for assessing the toxicity of compounds intended for intravaginal use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Byron Ballou
- Molecular Biosensor and Imaging Center (MBIC), Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
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Abstract
INTRODUCTION Colposcopic inspection of the vagina is a routine component of the safety assessment of intravaginal products. However, colposcopic findings occur frequently in healthy women, raising questions about their relevance to intravaginal product safety. Practical disadvantages limit the utility of colposcopy for evaluating menstrual tampons, among them the presence of background microtrauma, the inability to assess effects during menstruation, and, importantly, the question of whether post hoc assessments are sufficiently sensitive to detect small inflammatory changes. The Behind-The-Knee (BTK) test is an alternative for evaluating inflammatory and tissue dryness effects of physical articles by their repeated application to the popliteal fossa under an elastic bandage. It enables concurrent parallel comparisons of experimental and control articles over time and substantially increases the sensitivity of detecting small changes in tissue inflammation. MATERIAL AND METHODS With the protocol, uncompressed experimental and control tampons yielded comparable relative and absolute erythema scores (after overnight recovery) as did colposcopic assessment of the lower genital tract 3-48 h after menstrual use. Scoring erythema in the BTK test immediately after product removal increased the level of visually discernible inflammation sixfold. In a study of commercial menstrual pads, subclinical inflammation visualized with cross-polarized light correlated with the frequency of subjective reports of discomfort during the test and discriminated the relative tolerability of the two products determined by market surveillance, providing added confidence in the predictive value of the test. CONCLUSION We believe the BTK test can be a valuable alternative to colposcopy for assessing inflammation and dryness associated with menstrual tampons.
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Ensign LM, Tang BC, Wang YY, Tse TA, Hoen T, Cone R, Hanes J. Mucus-penetrating nanoparticles for vaginal drug delivery protect against herpes simplex virus. Sci Transl Med 2012; 4:138ra79. [PMID: 22700955 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.3003453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 252] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Incomplete coverage and short duration of action limit the effectiveness of vaginally administered drugs, including microbicides, for preventing sexually transmitted infections. We investigated vaginal distribution, retention, and safety of nanoparticles with surfaces modified to enhance transport through mucus. We show that mucus-penetrating particles (MPPs) provide uniform distribution over the vaginal epithelium, whereas conventional nanoparticles (CPs) that are mucoadhesive are aggregated by mouse vaginal mucus, leading to poor distribution. Moreover, when delivered hypotonically, MPPs were transported advectively (versus diffusively) through mucus deep into vaginal folds (rugae) within minutes. By penetrating into the deepest mucus layers, more MPPs were retained in the vaginal tract after 6 hours compared to CPs. After 24 hours, when delivered in a conventional vaginal gel, patches of a model drug remained on the vaginal epithelium, whereas the epithelium was coated with drug delivered by MPPs. We then developed MPPs composed of acyclovir monophosphate (ACVp). When administered before vaginal herpes simplex virus 2 challenge, ACVp-MPPs protected 53% of mice compared to only 16% protected by soluble drug. Overall, MPPs improved vaginal drug distribution and retention, provided more effective protection against vaginal viral challenge than soluble drug, and were nontoxic when administered daily for 1 week.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura M Ensign
- Center for Nanomedicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 400 North Broadway, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA
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Abstract
There is an urgent need control the spread of the global HIV pandemic. A microbicide, or topical drug applied to the mucosal environment to block transmission, is a promising HIV prevention strategy. The development of a safe and efficacious microbicide requires a thorough understanding of the mucosal environment and its role in HIV transmission. Knowledge of the key events in viral infection identifies points at which the virus might be most effectively targeted by a microbicide. The cervicovaginal and rectal mucosa play an important role in the innate defense against HIV, and microbicides must not interfere with these functions. In this review, we discuss the current research on HIV microbicide development.
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L-selectin and P-selectin are novel biomarkers of cervicovaginal inflammation for preclinical mucosal safety assessment of anti-HIV-1 microbicide. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2012; 56:3121-32. [PMID: 22391529 DOI: 10.1128/aac.05950-11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
A major obstacle thwarting preclinical development of microbicides is the lack of a validated biomarker of cervicovaginal inflammation. Therefore, the present study aims to identify novel noninvasive soluble markers in a murine model for assessment of microbicide mucosal safety. By performing cytokine antibody array analysis, we identified two adhesion molecules, L-selectin and P-selectin, which significantly increased when mucosal inflammation was triggered by nonoxynol-9 (N9), an anti-HIV-1 microbicide candidate that failed clinical trials, in a refined murine model of agent-induced cervicovaginal inflammation. We found that patterns of detection of L-selectin and P-selectin were obviously different from those of the two previously defined biomarkers of cervicovaginal inflammation, monocyte chemotactic protein 1 (MCP-1) and interleukin 6 (IL-6). The levels of these two soluble selectins correlated better than those of MCP-1 and IL-6 with the duration and severity of mucosal inflammation triggered by N9 and two approved proinflammatory compounds, benzalkonium chloride (BZK) and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), but not by two nonproinflammatory compounds, carboxymethyl celluose (CMC; microbicide excipients) and tenofovir (TFV; microbicide candidate). These data indicated that L-selectin and P-selectin can serve as additional novel cervicovaginal inflammation biomarkers for preclinical mucosal safety evaluation of candidate microbicides for the prevention of infection with HIV and other sexually transmitted pathogens.
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Quantitative assessment of microbicide-induced injury in the ovine vaginal epithelium using confocal microendoscopy. BMC Infect Dis 2012; 12:48. [PMID: 22375797 PMCID: PMC3315435 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2334-12-48] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2011] [Accepted: 02/29/2012] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The development of safe topical microbicides that can preserve the integrity of cervicovaginal tract epithelial barrier is of great interest as this may minimize the potential for increased susceptibility to STI infections. High resolution imaging to assess epithelial integrity in a noninvasive manner could be a valuable tool for preclinical testing of candidate topical agents. Methods A quantitative approach using confocal fluorescence microendoscopy (CFM) for assessment of microbicide-induced injury to the vaginal epithelium was developed. Sheep were treated intravaginally with one of five agents in solution (PBS; 0.02% benzalkonium chloride (BZK); 0.2% BZK) or gel formulation (hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC); Gynol II nonoxynol-9 gel (N-9)). After 24 hours the vaginal tract was removed, labeled with propidium iodide (PI), imaged, then fixed for histology. An automated image scoring algorithm was developed for quantitative assessment of injury and applied to the data set. Image-based findings were validated with histological visual gradings that describe degree of injury and measurement of epithelial thickness. Results Distinct differences in PI staining were detected following BZK and N-9 treatment. Images from controls had uniformly distributed nuclei with defined borders, while those after BZK or N-9 showed heavily stained and disrupted nuclei, which increased in proportion to injury detected on histology. The confocal scoring system revealed statistically significant scores for each agent versus PBS controls with the exception of HEC and were consistent with histology scores of injury. Conclusions Confocal microendoscopy provides a sensitive, objective, and quantitative approach for non-invasive assessment of vaginal epithelial integrity and could serve as a tool for real-time safety evaluation of emerging intravaginal topical agents.
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Dezzutti CS, Hendrix CW, Marrazzo JM, Pan Z, Wang L, Louissaint N, Kalyoussef S, Torres NM, Hladik F, Parikh U, Mellors J, Hillier SL, Herold BC. Performance of swabs, lavage, and diluents to quantify biomarkers of female genital tract soluble mucosal mediators. PLoS One 2011; 6:e23136. [PMID: 21858008 PMCID: PMC3155537 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0023136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2011] [Accepted: 07/06/2011] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Measurement of immune mediators and antimicrobial activity in female genital tract secretions may provide biomarkers predictive of risk for HIV-1 acquisition and surrogate markers of microbicide safety. However, optimal methods for sample collection do not exist. This study compared collection methods. Methods Secretions were collected from 48 women (24 with bacterial vaginosis [BV]) using vaginal and endocervical Dacron and flocked swabs. Cervicovaginal lavage (CVL) was collected with 10 mL of Normosol-R (n = 20), saline (n = 14), or water (n = 14). The concentration of gluconate in Normosol-R CVL was determined to estimate the dilution factor. Cytokine and antimicrobial mediators were measured by Luminex or ELISA and corrected for protein content. Endogenous anti-HIV-1 and anti-E. coli activity were measured by TZM-bl assay or E. coli growth. Results Higher concentrations of protein were recovered by CVL, despite a 10-fold dilution of secretions, as compared to swab eluents. After protein correction, endocervical swabs recovered the highest mediator levels regardless of BV status. Endocervical and vaginal flocked swabs recovered significantly higher levels of anti-HIV-1 and anti-E. coli activity than Dacron swabs (P<0.001). BV had a significant effect on CVL mediator recovery. Normosol-R tended to recover higher levels of most mediators among women with BV, whereas saline or water tended to recover higher levels among women without BV. Saline recovered the highest levels of anti-HIV-1 activity regardless of BV status. Conclusions Endocervical swabs and CVL collected with saline provide the best recovery of most mediators and would be the optimal sampling method(s) for clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlene S Dezzutti
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America.
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Africander D, Louw R, Verhoog N, Noeth D, Hapgood JP. Differential regulation of endogenous pro-inflammatory cytokine genes by medroxyprogesterone acetate and norethisterone acetate in cell lines of the female genital tract. Contraception 2011; 84:423-35. [PMID: 21920200 DOI: 10.1016/j.contraception.2011.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2010] [Revised: 04/02/2011] [Accepted: 06/13/2011] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) and norethisterone (NET) and its derivatives are widely used in female reproductive therapy, but little is known about their mechanisms of action via steroid receptors in the female genital tract. MPA used as a contraceptive has been implicated in effects on local immune function. However, the relative effects of progesterone (Prog), MPA and norethisterone acetate (NET-A) on cytokine gene expression in the female genital tract are unknown. STUDY DESIGN Using two epithelial cell lines generated from normal human vaginal (Vk2/E6E7) and ectocervical (Ect1/E6E7) cells as in vitro cell culture model systems for mucosal immunity of the female cervicovaginal environment, we investigated steroid receptor expression and activity as well as regulation of cytokine/chemokine genes by MPA and NET-A, as compared to the endogenous hormone Prog. RESULTS We show that the Prog, androgen, glucocorticoid and estrogen receptors (PR, AR, GR and ER, respectively) are expressed in both the Vk2/E6E7 and Ect1/E6E7 cell lines, and that the GR and AR are transcriptionally active. This study is the first to show ligand-, promoter- and cell-specific regulation of IL-6, IL-8 and RANTES (regulated-upon-activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted) gene expression by Prog, MPA and NET-A in these cell lines. Moreover, we show that the repression of the TNF-α-induced RANTES gene by MPA in the Ect1/E6E7 cell line is mediated by the AR. CONCLUSION Collectively, these data demonstrate that cell lines from different anatomical sites of the female genital tract respond differently to Prog and the synthetic progestins, most likely due to differential actions via different steroid receptors. The results highlight the importance of choice of progestins for immune function in the cervicovaginal environment. They further suggest that choice of progestins in endocrine therapy may have implications for women's risk of susceptibility to infections due to differential actions on genes involved in inflammation and immune function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donita Africander
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Stellenbosch, Private Bag X1, Matieland, South Africa
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Abstract
Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosa with the intent of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections, including HIV-1. The past 2 or 3 years of microbicide research have generated several disappointments. Large, phase 2B/3 studies failed to demonstrate product efficacy, were stopped prematurely for futility, and in the worst-case scenario possibly demonstrated microbicide-induced harm. The most recently completed efficacy study (HPTN-035) did not reach statistical significance, but did show that use of PRO-2000 was associated with a 30% reduction in HIV acquisition. Current research focuses on much more potent targeted therapy, including reverse transcriptase inhibitors and CCR5 antagonists. Ongoing challenges include optimizing the identification of safety signals in phase 1/2 studies, defining a rationale for advancing products into efficacy studies, and identifying populations with adequate HIV seroincidence rates for these studies.
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Baseline variation and associations between subject characteristics and five cytokine biomarkers of vaginal safety among healthy non-pregnant women in microbicide trials. Cytokine 2011; 55:134-40. [PMID: 21530305 DOI: 10.1016/j.cyto.2011.03.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2011] [Revised: 02/28/2011] [Accepted: 03/17/2011] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Interleukins (IL)-8, IL-1α, IL-1β, and IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1RA) have emerged as indicators of vaginal inflammation and HIV-1 transmission risk. We provide values and factors of normal variation of these immune mediators in premenopausal women to allow their wider clinical application as biomarkers of vaginal health. Cross-sectional analyzes (Kruskal-Wallis and Wilcoxon exact tests) of cytokine concentrations in relation to sociodemographic variables and Nugent score were performed on baseline (prior to product) cervicovaginal lavage from two Phase I randomized microbicide trials. All women in the analysis had regular menstrual cycles, 72 h abstinence, normal blood and Pap tests, and absence of genitourinary infections, study-relevant allergies, antibiotics use and history of substance abuse. Cytokine norms were defined as the values among those with Nugent score <4. Among women with normal Nugent score (n=92), IL-8 and IL-1β were lowest in those using abstinence as compared to hormonal contraceptives or male/female sterilization as their primary method for birth control. No difference was found by age, prior pregnancy, or education, and also by race after controlling for contraceptive method. Women with abnormal (>7) and borderline (4-6) Nugent scores had elevated IL-1α and/or IL-1β although their IL-1RA-to-IL(α+β) ratio remained within the normal range due to higher IL-1RA. Women with borderline Nugent scores had IL-8 levels above the normal range. IL-8 and the IL-1RA-to-IL-1 ratio can be used as independent biomarkers of vaginal immune balance. More studies must determine the role of sexual activity, contraceptive method, and borderline Nugent scores, which normally are not exclusion criteria for enrollment in microbicide trials but may affect product tolerability and HIV-1 risk due to the aberrant cytokine levels.
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Thurman AR, Doncel GF. Innate immunity and inflammatory response to Trichomonas vaginalis and bacterial vaginosis: relationship to HIV acquisition. Am J Reprod Immunol 2011; 65:89-98. [PMID: 20678168 DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0897.2010.00902.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Most women contract HIV-1 through sexual intercourse with an infected partner. Highly prevalent, unreported and often asymptomatic lower genital tract infections, including bacterial vaginosis (BV) and trichomoniasis (Trichomonas vaginalis- TV), increase a woman's susceptibility to HIV-1 genital infection, given an exposure. A review of the literature from 1989 to the present was conducted. This article will review potential mechanisms by which BV and TV serve as HIV-1-enhancing cofactors including (i) initiation of a clinical or subclinical mucosal inflammatory response, (ii) alteration of innate mucosal immunity, (iii) alteration of normal vaginal microflora and pH, and (iv) weakening or breach of intact cervico-vaginal mucosa. The transmission of HIV-1, in the absence of cofactors, is poorly efficient. Understanding the mechanisms by which these infections enhance HIV-1 acquisition is important to designing effective, safe and evidence-based prevention modalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea R Thurman
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, CONRAD Clinical Research Center and CONRAD Microbicide Research Laboratory, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA 23507, USA.
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Hladik F, Doncel GF. Preventing mucosal HIV transmission with topical microbicides: challenges and opportunities. Antiviral Res 2011; 88 Suppl 1:S3-9. [PMID: 21109065 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2010.09.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2010] [Revised: 09/14/2010] [Accepted: 09/19/2010] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
A combination of prevention and treatment modalities will be needed to successfully control the global spread of HIV. Microbicides, drug products topically applied to mucosal surfaces to prevent HIV infection, are one of these biomedical interventions that hold great promise. In order to be efficacious, microbicides must overcome several challenges imposed by the mucosal microenvironment they intend to protect and the mischievous human immunodeficiency virus with its enormous capacity to adapt. Recent data, however, supports the establishment of the primo-infection by only a small number of founder viruses, which are highly vulnerable to microbicidal intervention at the initial stages of mucosal invasion. The biological foundation of these challenges and opportunities in microbicide development is explored in this review. This article forms part of a special supplement on presentations covering HIV transmission and microbicides, based on the symposium "Trends in Microbicide Formulations", held on 25 and 26 January 2010, Arlington, VA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Hladik
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Washington, 1959 NE Pacific Street, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
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Ayehunie S, Cannon C, Larosa K, Pudney J, Anderson DJ, Klausner M. Development of an in vitro alternative assay method for vaginal irritation. Toxicology 2010; 279:130-8. [PMID: 20937349 DOI: 10.1016/j.tox.2010.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2010] [Revised: 09/23/2010] [Accepted: 10/04/2010] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The vaginal mucosa is commonly exposed to chemicals and therapeutic agents that may result in irritation and/or inflammation. In addition to acute effects, vaginal irritation and inflammation can make women more susceptible to infections such as HIV-1 and herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV-2). Hence, the vaginal irritation potential of feminine care formulations and vaginally administered therapeutic agents is a significant public health concern. Traditionally, testing of such materials has been performed using the rabbit vaginal irritation (RVI) assay. In the current study, we investigated whether the organotypic, highly differentiated EpiVaginal™ tissue could be used as a non-animal alternative to the RVI test. The EpiVaginal tissue was exposed to a single application of ingredients commonly found in feminine hygiene products and the effects on tissue viability (MTT assay), barrier disruption (measured by transepithelial electrical resistance, TEER and sodium fluorescein (NaFl) leakage), and inflammatory cytokine release (interleukin (IL)-1α, IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-8) patterns were examined. When compared to untreated controls, two irritating ingredients, nonoxynol 9 and benzalkonium chloride, reduced tissue viability to <40% and TEER to <60% while increasing NaFl leakage by 11-24% and IL-1α and IL-1β release by >100%. Four other non-irritating materials had minimal effects on these parameters. Assay reproducibility was confirmed by testing the chemicals using three different tissue production lots and by using tissues reconstructed from cells obtained from three different donors. Coefficients of variation between tissue lots reconstructed with cells obtained from the same donor or lots reconstructed with cells obtained from different donors were less than 10% and 12%, respectively. In conclusion, decreases in tissue viability and barrier function and increases in IL-1α and IL-1β release appear to be useful endpoints for preclinical screening of topically applied chemicals and formulations for their vaginal irritation potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seyoum Ayehunie
- MatTek Corporation, 200 Homer Avenue, Ashland, MA 01721, USA.
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Piret J, Bergeron MG. Should microbicides be controlled by women or by physicians? Int J Infect Dis 2010; 14 Suppl 3:e14-7. [PMID: 20932483 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijid.2010.02.2256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2009] [Revised: 10/19/2009] [Accepted: 02/25/2010] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
In 2007, nearly 7000 new cases of HIV infection occurred each day. There is a constant increase in the proportion of women newly infected with HIV in the global population; this increase is particularly high in some areas of the world such as sub-Saharan Africa. Microbicides are products that are being developed to empower women against HIV. First- and second-generation microbicides are broad-spectrum products that include surface active agents, vaginal defense enhancers, and blocking agents. Third-generation microbicides are HIV-specific and include replication and entry inhibitors formulated as gels or as vaginal rings. However, there is a concern that antiretroviral-based microbicides could lead to drug resistance if they are used by HIV-positive women who are unaware of their HIV status. To reach the highest number of women possible, microbicides should be available over-the-counter, which might not be the case with antiretroviral-based formulations. In contrast, non-antiretroviral-based microbicides will have the advantage of being initiated and controlled by women themselves and they will not jeopardize the use of life-saving drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jocelyne Piret
- Centre de Recherche en Infectiologie, Université Laval, CHUQ, Pavillon CHUL, 2705 Boulevard Laurier, Québec, Canada.
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Borrow P, Shattock RJ, Vyakarnam A. Innate immunity against HIV: a priority target for HIV prevention research. Retrovirology 2010; 7:84. [PMID: 20937128 PMCID: PMC2964587 DOI: 10.1186/1742-4690-7-84] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2010] [Accepted: 10/11/2010] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
This review summarizes recent advances and current gaps in understanding of innate immunity to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, and identifies key scientific priorities to enable application of this knowledge to the development of novel prevention strategies (vaccines and microbicides). It builds on productive discussion and new data arising out of a workshop on innate immunity against HIV held at the European Commission in Brussels, together with recent observations from the literature. Increasing evidence suggests that innate responses are key determinants of the outcome of HIV infection, influencing critical events in the earliest stages of infection including the efficiency of mucosal HIV transmission, establishment of initial foci of infection and local virus replication/spread as well as virus dissemination, the ensuing acute burst of viral replication, and the persisting viral load established. They also impact on the subsequent level of ongoing viral replication and rate of disease progression. Modulation of innate immunity thus has the potential to constitute a powerful effector strategy to complement traditional approaches to HIV prophylaxis and therapy. Importantly, there is increasing evidence to suggest that many arms of the innate response play both protective and pathogenic roles in HIV infection. Consequently, understanding the contributions made by components of the host innate response to HIV acquisition/spread versus control is a critical pre-requisite for the employment of innate immunity in vaccine or microbicide design, so that appropriate responses can be targeted for up- or down-modulation. There is also an important need to understand the mechanisms via which innate responses are triggered and mediate their activity, and to define the structure-function relationships of individual innate factors, so that they can be selectively exploited or inhibited. Finally, strategies for achieving modulation of innate functions need to be developed and subjected to rigorous testing to ensure that they achieve the desired level of protection without stimulation of immunopathological effects. Priority areas are identified where there are opportunities to accelerate the translation of recent gains in understanding of innate immunity into the design of improved or novel vaccine and microbicide strategies against HIV infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Persephone Borrow
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, The Jenner Institute, Compton, Newbury, Berkshire, UK.
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Tolley EE, Harrison PF, Goetghebeur E, Morrow K, Pool R, Taylor D, Tillman SN, van der Straten A. Adherence and its measurement in phase 2/3 microbicide trials. AIDS Behav 2010; 14:1124-36. [PMID: 19924525 PMCID: PMC2944966 DOI: 10.1007/s10461-009-9635-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Adherence optimization and measurement have emerged as critically challenging issues for clinical trials of topical microbicides. Although microbicide trials have routinely collected adherence data, their utilization in trial design, implementation, and interpretation has been inconsistent. Drawing on data-driven presentations from several focused meetings, this paper synthesizes lessons from past microbicide trials and provides recommendations for future trials of microbicide and other HIV prevention technologies. First, it describes four purposes for adherence data collection, with particular attention to intention-to-treat versus adherence-adjusted analyses for determining effectiveness. Second, the microbicide field’s experiences with adherence measures and data collection modes are discussed, including the strengths and weaknesses of various options and approaches for improving measurement. Then, several approaches to optimizing trial participants’ adherence are presented. The paper concludes with a set of recommendations for immediate use or further research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth E Tolley
- Behavioral and Biomedical Research Department, Health and Development Sciences, Family Health International, Durham, NC 27319, USA.
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Youth-specific considerations in the development of preexposure prophylaxis, microbicide, and vaccine research trials. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 2010; 54 Suppl 1:S31-42. [PMID: 20571421 DOI: 10.1097/qai.0b013e3181e3a922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Preventing HIV infection in adolescents and young adults will require a multimodal targeted approach, including individual-directed behavioral risk reduction, community-level structural change, and biomedical interventions to prevent sexual transmission. Trials testing biomedical interventions to prevent HIV transmission will require special attention in this population due to the unique psychosocial and physiologic characteristics that differentiate them from older populations. For example, microbicide research will need to consider acceptability, dosing requirements, and coinfection rates that are unique to this population. Preexposure prophylaxis studies also will need to consider potential unique psychosocial issues such as sexual disinhibition and acceptability as well as unique pharmacokinetic parameters of antiretroviral agents. Vaccine trials also face unique issues with this population, including attitudes toward vaccines, risks related to false-positive HIV tests related to vaccine, and different immune responses based on more robust immunity. In this article, we will discuss issues around implementing each of these biomedical prevention modalities in trials among adolescents and young adults to help to guide future successful research targeting this population.
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW This review provides an update on developments in HIV microbicide research in the light of recent phase 3 efficacy studies and discusses how lessons learnt from early generation microbicide candidates can assist the development of future agents. RECENT FINDINGS Results of an interim analysis of a phase 3 trial suggested that cellulose sulfate increased the risk of HIV acquisition compared with placebo. Carraguard, SAVVY and Buffergel also failed to show any HIV protection in human efficacy trials. Recent research has focused on elucidating the reasons behind these failures as well as improving the assessment of safety and efficacy for the next generation of microbicide candidates. PRO 2000 0.5% gel is the only HIV microbicide candidate for which there are preliminary data suggesting efficacy in women. Antiretroviral agents and entry inhibitors may provide the key in the future to developing an effective HIV microbicide both for vaginal and rectal use. SUMMARY Development of a protective 'barrier' which can be controlled by the receptive partner independent of time of coitus remains a key goal in HIV prevention. A gel or ring-delivered combination of active anti-HIV agents may prove more efficacious than a single agent alone. Challenges in evaluating and manufacturing new candidates must be overcome before a well tolerated, effective, acceptable and affordable microbicide can be produced.
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Hjelm BE, Berta AN, Nickerson CA, Arntzen CJ, Herbst-Kralovetz MM. Development and characterization of a three-dimensional organotypic human vaginal epithelial cell model. Biol Reprod 2010; 82:617-27. [PMID: 20007410 PMCID: PMC6366157 DOI: 10.1095/biolreprod.109.080408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2009] [Revised: 09/02/2009] [Accepted: 11/17/2009] [Indexed: 11/01/2022] Open
Abstract
We have developed an in vitro human vaginal epithelial cell (EC) model using the innovative rotating wall vessel (RWV) bioreactor technology that recapitulates in vivo structural and functional properties, including a stratified squamous epithelium with microvilli, tight junctions, microfolds, and mucus. This three-dimensional (3-D) vaginal model provides a platform for high-throughput toxicity testing of candidate microbicides targeted to combat sexually transmitted infections, effectively complementing and extending existing testing systems such as surgical explants or animal models. Vaginal ECs were grown on porous, collagen-coated microcarrier beads in a rotating, low fluid-shear environment; use of RWV bioreactor technology generated 3-D vaginal EC aggregates. Immunofluorescence and scanning and transmission electron microscopy confirmed differentiation and polarization of the 3-D EC aggregates among multiple cell layers and identified ultrastructural features important for nutrient absorption, cell-cell interactions, and pathogen defense. After treatment with a variety of toll-like receptor (TLR) agonists, cytokine production was quantified by cytometric bead array, confirming that TLRs 2, 3, 5, and 6 were expressed and functional. The 3-D vaginal aggregates were more resistant to nonoxynol-9 (N-9), a contraceptive and previous microbicide candidate, when compared to two-dimensional monolayers of the same cell line. A dose-dependent production of tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand and interleukin-1 receptor antagonist, biomarkers of cervicovaginal inflammation, correlated to microbicide toxicity in the 3-D model following N-9 treatment. These results indicate that this 3-D vaginal model could be used as a complementary tool for screening microbicide compounds for safety and efficacy, thus improving success in clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brooke E Hjelm
- Center for Infectious Diseases and Vaccinology, The Biodesign Institute at Arizona State University, 1001 South McAllister Avenue, Tempe, AZ 85287-5401, USA
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Ding J, Rapista A, Teleshova N, Mosoyan G, Jarvis GA, Klotman ME, Chang TL. Neisseria gonorrhoeae enhances HIV-1 infection of primary resting CD4+ T cells through TLR2 activation. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2010; 184:2814-24. [PMID: 20147631 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.0902125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Sexually transmitted infections increase the likelihood of HIV-1 transmission. We investigated the effect of Neisseria gonorrheae (gonococcus [GC]) exposure on HIV replication in primary resting CD4(+) T cells, a major HIV target cell during the early stage of sexual transmission of HIV. GC and TLR2 agonists, such as peptidylglycan (PGN), Pam(3)CSK(4), and Pam(3)C-Lip, a GC-derived synthetic lipopeptide, but not TLR4 agonists including LPS or GC lipooligosaccharide enhanced HIV-1 infection of primary resting CD4(+) T cells after viral entry. Pretreatment of CD4(+) cells with PGN also promoted HIV infection. Anti-TLR2 Abs abolished the HIV enhancing effect of GC and Pam(3)C-Lip, indicating that GC-mediated enhancement of HIV infection of resting CD4(+) T cells was through TLR2. IL-2 was required for TLR2-mediated HIV enhancement. PGN and GC induced cell surface expression of T cell activation markers and HIV coreceptors, CCR5 and CXCR4. The maximal postentry HIV enhancing effect was achieved when PGN was added immediately after viral exposure. Kinetic studies and analysis of HIV DNA products indicated that GC exposure and TLR2 activation enhanced HIV infection at the step of nuclear import. We conclude that GC enhanced HIV infection of primary resting CD4(+) T cells through TLR2 activation, which both increased the susceptibility of primary CD4(+) T cells to HIV infection as well as enhanced HIV-infected CD4(+) T cells at the early stage of HIV life cycle after entry. This study provides a molecular mechanism by which nonulcerative sexually transmitted infections mediate enhancement of HIV infection and has implication for HIV prevention and therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Ding
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY 10029, USA
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Abstract
HIV infection rates in the developing world remain a serious problem. One potential approach to reduce infection rates is to use products known as microbicides, referred to herein as microbicide drug products (MDPs). These are drugs capable of, when administered topically to the vagina (or rectum), interfering with infection by one or more mechanisms. This review article covers the latest pharmaceutical developments in the area of microbicides dosage forms and delivery systems. These products are principally designed for use in the developing world and must therefore address cultural and societal issues generally unknown in the developed world. The first-generation microbicides evaluated clinically were principally polyanions. These drugs, administered intravaginally as gels, were found to be ineffective in preventing transmission of HIV from men to women. Second-generation drugs such as tenofovir, dapivirine, and UC781 are reverse transcriptase inhibitors developed as gels formulations and intravaginal rings (IVRs). Gels are considered coitally-related products while IVRs are coitally-independent systems designed to release the drug over a four-week period or possibly longer (up to 3 or 4 months). Other dosage forms under development include fast dissolving films, tablets/capsules, and possibly vaginal sponges. Dual protection systems are also under development. These systems include formulations capable of preventing HIV infection along with a second drug capable of preventing conception or other viral infections such as HSV.
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Abstract
The early immune response to HIV-1 infection is likely to be an important factor in determining the clinical course of disease. Recent data indicate that the HIV-1 quasispecies that arise following a mucosal infection are usually derived from a single transmitted virus. Moreover, the finding that the first effective immune responses drive the selection of virus escape mutations provides insight into the earliest immune responses against the transmitted virus and their contributions to the control of acute viraemia. Strong innate and adaptive immune responses occur subsequently but they are too late to eliminate the infection. In this Review, we discuss recent studies on the kinetics and quality of early immune responses to HIV-1 and their implications for developing a successful preventive HIV-1 vaccine.
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Current awareness: Pharmacoepidemiology and drug safety. Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf 2009. [DOI: 10.1002/pds.1652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
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