Dataset Information

Role of seminal shedding of herpesviruses in HIV Type 1 Transmission.

ABSTRACT: To investigate the role of genital shedding of herpesviruses in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV) transmission, we compared 20 HIV-infected men who did and 26 who did not transmit HIV to their sex partners. As described previously, HIV transmission was associated with the potential source partner having higher levels of HIV RNA in blood and semen, having lower CD4(+) T cell counts, having bacterial coinfections in the genital tract, and not using antiretroviral therapy. This study extended these findings by observing significant associations between HIV transmission and the following characteristics, especially among therapy-naive potential source partners: seminal cytomegalovirus (CMV) shedding, seminal Epstein-Barr virus shedding, and levels of anti CMV immunoglobulin in blood plasma.

SUBMITTER: Gianella S

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3532824 | biostudies-other | 2013 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other

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Role of seminal shedding of herpesviruses in HIV Type 1 Transmission.

Gianella Sara S Morris Sheldon R SR Vargas Milenka V MV Young Jason A JA Callahan Bryan B Richman Douglas D DD Little Susan J SJ Smith Davey M DM

The Journal of infectious diseases 20121112 2

To investigate the role of genital shedding of herpesviruses in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV) transmission, we compared 20 HIV-infected men who did and 26 who did not transmit HIV to their sex partners. As described previously, HIV transmission was associated with the potential source partner having higher levels of HIV RNA in blood and semen, having lower CD4(+) T cell counts, having bacterial coinfections in the genital tract, and not using antiretroviral therapy. This study extend ...[more]

PMID: 23148284

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Project description:The capsular polysaccharide (CPS) of Streptococcus pneumoniae is characterized by its diversity, as it has over 95 known serotypes, and the variation in its thickness as it surrounds an organism. While within-host effects of CPS have been studied in detail, there is no information about its contribution to host-to-host transmission. In this study, we used an infant mouse model of intralitter transmission, together with isogenic capsule switch and cps promoter switch constructs, to explore the effects of CPS type and amount. The determining factor in the transmission rate in this model is the number of pneumococci shed in nasal secretions by colonized hosts. Two of seven capsule switch constructs showed reduced shedding. These constructs were unimpaired in colonization and expressed capsules similar in size to those of the wild-type strain. A cps promoter switch mutant expressing ~50% of wild-type amounts of CPS also displayed reduced shedding without a defect in colonization. Since shedding from the mucosal surface may require escape from mucus entrapment, a mucin-binding assay was used to compare capsule switch and cps promoter switch mutants. The CPS type or amount constructs that shed poorly were bound more robustly by immobilized mucin. These capsule switch and cps promoter switch constructs with increased mucin-binding affinity and reduced shedding also had lower rates of pup-to-pup transmission. Our results demonstrate that CPS type and amount affect transmission dynamics and may contribute to the marked differences in prevalence among pneumococcal types.IMPORTANCEStreptococcus pneumoniae, a leading cause of morbidity and mortality, is readily transmitted, especially among young children. Its structurally and antigenically diverse capsular polysaccharide is the target of currently licensed pneumococcal vaccines. Epidemiology studies show that only a subset of the >95 distinct serotypes are prevalent in the human population, suggesting that certain capsular polysaccharide types might be more likely to be transmitted within the community. Herein, we used an infant mouse model to show that both capsule type and amount are important determinants in the spread of pneumococci from host to host. Transmission rates correlate with those capsule types that are better at escaping mucus entrapment, a key step in exiting the host upper respiratory tract. Hence, our study provides a better mechanistic understanding of why certain pneumococcal serotypes are more common in the human population.

Project description:Niche-restricted pathogens are evolutionarily linked with the specific biological fluids that are encountered during infection. Neisseria gonorrhoeae causes the genital infection gonorrhea and is exposed to seminal fluid during sexual transmission. Treatment of N. gonorrhoeae with seminal plasma or purified semen proteins lactoferrin, serum albumin, and prostate-specific antigen each facilitated type IV pilus-mediated twitching motility of the bacterium. Motility in the presence of seminal plasma was characterized by high velocity and low directional persistence. In addition, infection of epithelial cells with N. gonorrhoeae in the presence of seminal plasma resulted in enhanced microcolony formation. Close association of multiple pili in the form of bundles was also disrupted after seminal plasma treatment leading to an increase in the number of single pilus filaments on the bacterial surface. Thus, exposure of N. gonorrhoeae to seminal plasma is proposed to alter bacterial motility and aggregation characteristics to influence the processes of transmission and colonization. IMPORTANCE There are greater than 100 million estimated new cases of gonorrhea annually worldwide. Research characterizing the mechanisms of pathogenesis and transmission of Neisseria gonorrhoeae is important for developing new prevention strategies, since antibiotic resistance of the organism is becoming increasingly prevalent. Our work identifies seminal plasma as a mediator of N. gonorrhoeae twitching motility and microcolony formation through functional modification of the type IV pilus. These findings provide insight into motility dynamics and epithelial cell colonization under conditions that are relevant to sexual transmission. Type IV pili are common virulence factors with diverse functions among bacterial pathogens, and this work identifies interactions between type IV pili and the host environment. Finally, this work illustrates the importance of the host environment and niche-specific fluids on microbial pathogenesis.

Dataset Information

Role of seminal shedding of herpesviruses in HIV Type 1 Transmission.

Publications

Role of seminal shedding of herpesviruses in HIV Type 1 Transmission.

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