Pseudotyping of HIV-1 with Human T-Lymphotropic Virus 1 (HTLV-1) Envelope Glycoprotein during HIV-1–HTLV-1 Coinfection Facilitates Direct HIV-1 Infection of Female Genital Epithelial Cells: Implications for Sexual Transmission of HIV-1

• DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00038-18
• Publication Date: 2018-04-03T12:54:40Z
• Authors: Yuyang Tang; Alvin M. George; Oksana Petrechko; Franklin J. Nouvet; Stephanie D. Sweet; Yuetsu Tanaka; Brian S. Imbiakha; Guochun Jiang; Wei Gao; Kathryn Anastos; James E. K. Hildreth
• Keywords: Adult; CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes; human T-cell leukemia virus; Anti-HIV Agents; envelope glycoprotein; HIV Infections; Cervix Uteri; Microbiology; 03 medical and health sciences; Humans; Cells, Cultured; Glycoproteins; Human T-lymphotropic virus 1; 0303 health sciences; human immunodeficiency virus; pseudotype; Coinfection; Epithelial Cells; Middle Aged; Antibodies, Neutralizing; HTLV-I Infections; epithelial cells; QR1-502; 3. Good health; Observational Studies as Topic; primary T-cells; Vagina; HIV-1; RNA, Viral; Female; Research Article; HeLa Cells

Female genital epithelial cells cover the tract and provide first line of protection against infection with sexually transmitted pathogenic viruses. These normally are impervious to HIV-1. We report that coinfection by HIV-1 another virus, human T-lymphotropic virus 1 (HTLV-1), led production had expanded cell tropism was able directly infect primary vaginal cervical cells. blocked neutralizing antibodies HTLV-1 envelope (Env) protein, indicating mediated through Env pseudotyping Active replication in demonstrated inhibition anti-HIV-1 drugs. derived from peripheral blood HIV-1-HTLV-1-coinfected subjects could an Env-dependent manner. infected alone not results indicate can occur vivo Our data further reveal active both is required for pseudotyped findings coinfected enabled nonpermissive female This phenomenon may represent a risk factor enhanced sexual transmission regions where common.IMPORTANCE Young women certain world at very high acquiring HIV-1, there urgent need identify factors promote transmission. frequently accompanied other demonstrate lead vitro ex Given function these as mucosal barriers transmission, ability represents possible increased mechanism be especially impactful settings such Sub-Saharan Africa South America, highly prevalent.