Premium
Preliminary studies on the use of pertussis toxin for the modulation of intravaginal SIV transmission in rhesus macaques
Author(s) -
Ortiz Kristina,
Sampathkumar Rebecca S.,
Ansari Aftab A.,
Byrareddy Siddappa N.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
journal of medical primatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.31
H-Index - 42
eISSN - 1600-0684
pISSN - 0047-2565
DOI - 10.1111/jmp.12316
Subject(s) - chemokine , pertussis toxin , transmission (telecommunications) , immunology , mucosal immunity , genital tract , simian immunodeficiency virus , chemotaxis , biology , medicine , human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) , virology , receptor , immunity , inflammation , immune system , g protein , physiology , electrical engineering , engineering
Background Pertussis toxin ( PTX ) blocks GPCR signaling resulting in the inhibition of chemotaxis/cell adhesion. It was reasoned that inhibition of cell trafficking may be an approach to prevent HIV / SIV transmission. Methods In this study, PTX in HEC gel was applied to the vaginal wall of monkeys that were then challenged intravaginally with SIV mac251. Results Results of these studies showed that 2 of 4 animals were resistant to infection. Furthermore, infection was correlated with a marked increase in the plasma and cervicovaginal lavage levels of select chemokines and cytokines. Conclusions Results from this preliminary feasibility study dictate that further studies that include a larger number of animals are required to optimize this protocol and establish the efficacy of this approach. In addition, such future studies will provide important information on the role of specific chemokines that play a role in lymphocyte trafficking within the genital tract and serve as additional therapeutic targets.