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.
Am J Reprod Immunol. 2021 Nov;86(5):e13478. doi: 10.1111/aji.13478. Epub 2021 Jun 16.
In order to establish productive infection in women, HIV must transverse the vaginal epithelium and gain access to local target cells. Genital inflammation contributes to the availability of HIV susceptible cells at the female genital mucosa and is associated with higher HIV transmission rates in women. Factors that contribute to genital inflammation may subsequently increase the risk of HIV infection in women. Semen is a highly immunomodulatory fluid containing several bioactive molecules with the potential to influence inflammation and immune activation at the female genital tract. In addition to its role as a vector for HIV transmission, semen induces profound mucosal changes to prime the female reproductive tract for conception. Still, most studies of mucosal immunity are conducted in the absence of semen or without considering its immune impact on the female genital tract. This review discusses the various mechanisms by which semen exposure may influence female genital inflammation and highlights the importance of routine screening for semen biomarkers in vaginal specimens to account for its impact on genital inflammation.
为了在女性中建立有效的感染，HIV 必须穿过阴道上皮并进入局部靶细胞。生殖器炎症有助于女性生殖器黏膜中 HIV 易感细胞的可用性，并与更高的 HIV 传播率相关。导致生殖器炎症的因素可能随后增加女性感染 HIV 的风险。精液是一种具有高度免疫调节作用的液体，其中包含几种具有潜在影响女性生殖道炎症和免疫激活的生物活性分子。除了作为 HIV 传播的载体外，精液还诱导深刻的黏膜变化，使女性生殖道为受孕做好准备。尽管如此，大多数黏膜免疫研究都是在没有精液的情况下进行的，或者没有考虑到精液对女性生殖道的免疫影响。本文讨论了精液暴露可能影响女性生殖器炎症的各种机制，并强调了在阴道标本中常规筛查精液生物标志物以说明其对生殖器炎症影响的重要性。
