INVESTIGADORES
GEFFNER Jorge Raul
artículos
Título:
Spermatozoa capture HIV-1 through heparan sulfate and efficiently transmit the virus to dendritic cells.
Autor/es:
CEBALLOS A, REMES-LENICOV F, DABATTÉ J, RODRÍGUEZ-RODRIGUES C, CABRINI M, JANCIC C, RAIDEN S, DONALDSON M, PASQUALINI A, MARIN.BRIGGILER C, VAZQUEZ-LEVIN M, CAPANI F, AMIGORENA S, GEFFNER J.
Revista:
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE
Editorial:
ROCKEFELLER UNIV PRESS
Referencias:
Año: 2009 vol. 206 p. 2717 - 2733
ISSN:
0022-1007
Resumen:
Semen is the main vector for HIV-1 dissemination worldwide. It contains three major sources of infectious virus: free virions, infected leukocytes, and spermatozoa-associated virions. We focused on the interaction of HIV-1 with human spermatozoa and dendritic cells (DCs). We report that heparan sulfate is expressed in spermatozoa and plays an important role in the capture of HIV-1. Spermatozoa-attached virus is efficiently transmitted to DCs, macrophages, and T cells. Interaction of spermatozoa with DCs not only leads to the transmission of HIV-1 and the internalization of the spermatozoa but also results in the phenotypic maturation of DCs and the production of IL-10 but not IL-12p70. At low values of extracellular pH (approximately 6.5 pH units), similar to those found in the vaginal mucosa after sexual intercourse, the binding of HIV-1 to the spermatozoa and the consequent transmission of HIV-1 to DCs were strongly enhanced. Our observations support the notion that far from being a passive carrier, spermatozoa acting in concert with DCs might affect the early course of sexual transmission of HIV-1 infection.