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Deciphering the Role of Mucosal Immune Responses and the Cervicovaginal Microbiome in Resistance to HIV Infection in HIV-Exposed Seronegative Women

Ponnan  et al., Microbiology Spectrum. 2021.

https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/Spectrum.00470-21

Identifying correlates of protection in HIV-exposed seronegative (HESN) individuals requires identification of HIV-specific local immune responses. Researchers performed a comprehensive investigation of the vaginal mucosa and cervicovaginal microbiome in HESN women. They found elevated antiviral cytokines, soluble immunoglobulins, activated NK cells, CXCR5+ CD8+ T cells, and T follicular helper cells in HESN women compared to HIV-unexposed healthy women. They also found greater bacterial diversity and increased abundance of Gardnerella species in the mucosa of HESN women. These findings suggest that the genital tract of HESN women contains innate immune factors, antiviral mediators, and T cell subsets that protect against HIV. Supported by ORIP (P51OD011132) and NIAID.

Previous Exposure to Dengue Virus Is Associated with Increased Zika Virus Burden at the Maternal-Fetal Interface in Rhesus Macaques

Crooks et al., PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases. 2021.

https://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article?id=10.1371/journal.pntd.0009641

Pre-existing immunity to dengue virus (DENV) results in antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) among DENV serotypes; Zika virus (ZIKV) has homology with DENV suggesting pre-existing DENV immunity may have an impact on ZIKV pathogenesis during pregnancy. In a rhesus macaque model, prior DENV-2 exposure resulted in a higher burden of ZIKV viral RNA in maternal-fetal interface tissues as compared to DENV-naive macaques. However, pre-existing DENV immunity had no detectable impact on ZIKV replication kinetics in maternal plasma; all pregnancies progressed to term without adverse outcomes at delivery. Investigating potential ADE in pregnant women is important as vaccines against DENV and ZIKV are developed. Supported by ORIP (P51OD011106) and NIAID.