Association of High-Risk Human Papillomavirus with Genital Tract Mucosal Immune Factors in HIV-Infected Women

PROBLEM:

High-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) is prevalent in HIV-infected women and may be associated with mucosal changes that promote HIV replication.

METHOD OF STUDY:

Innate immune molecules, antimicrobial activity, HIV RNA, and HPV DNA genotypes were measured in a cross-sectional study of 128 HIV-infected women categorized into HPV-16 (n = 8), other HR-HPV (n = 41), and non-HR-HPV controls (n = 79).

RESULTS:

Compared to controls, HR-HPV groups had higher plasma viral loads (P = 0.004), lower CD4 cells (P = 0.02), more genital tract HIV RNA (P = 0.03), greater number of different HPV types (P < 0.001), higher cervicovaginal lavage (CVL) IL-1α (P = 0.03) and human beta-defensin 2 (HBD2) (P = 0.049), and less anti-HIV_B al activity (P = 0.03). HPV-16 remained significantly associated with higher HBD2 (P = 0.03), higher IL-1α (P = 0.009), and lower anti-HIV_B aL activity (P = 0.03) compared to controls after adjusting for plasma viral load and CD4 T cell count.

CONCLUSION:

HR-HPV is associated with mucosal changes in HIV-infected women that could adversely impact genital tract health.

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By:   Buckley N1, Huber A1, Lo Y2, Castle PE2, Kemal K1, Burk RD1,2, Strickler HD2, Einstein MH3, Young M4, Anastos K5, Herold BC1,3,6.

• 1Department of Pediatrics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA.
• 2Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA.
• 3Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Women's Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA.
• 4Department of Medicine, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA.
• 5Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA.
• 6Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA. 

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