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HIV ‐1 Vaginal Transmission: Cell‐Free or Cell‐Associated Virus?
Author(s) -
BarretodeSouza Victor,
Arakelyan Anush,
Margolis Leonid,
Vanpouille Christophe
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
american journal of reproductive immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.071
H-Index - 97
eISSN - 1600-0897
pISSN - 1046-7408
DOI - 10.1111/aji.12240
Subject(s) - transmission (telecommunications) , sex organ , semen , virus , cell , human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) , virology , immunology , biology , sexual transmission , medicine , microbicide , genetics , electrical engineering , engineering
The vast majority of new HIV infections in male‐to‐female transmission occurs through semen, where HIV ‐1 is present in two different forms: as free and as cell‐associated virus. In the female lower genital tract, semen mixes with female genital secretions that contain various factors, some of which facilitate or inhibit HIV ‐1 transmission. Next, HIV ‐1 crosses the genital epithelia, reaches the regional lymph nodes, and disseminates through the female host. Cervico‐vaginal mucosa contains multiple barriers, resulting in a low probability of vaginal transmission. However, in some cases, HIV ‐1 is able to break these barriers. Although the exact mechanisms of how these barriers function remain unclear, their levels of efficiency against cell‐free and cell‐associated HIV ‐1 are different, and both cell‐free and cell‐associated virions seem to use different strategies to overcome these barriers. Understanding the basic mechanisms of HIV ‐1 vaginal transmission is required for the development of new antiviral strategies to contain HIV ‐1 epidemics.