NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Upregulation of the HIV-1 chemokine co-receptor CCR5 in the endocervical mucosa of women using combined oral contraceptives may increase the risk of HIV transmission, UK researchers report in December issue of the British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.
“There is evidence from previous studies showing that women using combined oral contraceptives may shed more HIV from the cervix than non-users,” senior investigator Dr. Moses S. Kapembwa told Reuters Health. Thus, “there exists the potential that such women may be more infectious since high concentrations of HIV in cervical mucus increase the risk of HIV transmission among heterosexuals.”
To investigate potential underlying mechanisms, Dr. Kapembwa of Imperial College of Science Technology and Medicine, Harrow, and colleagues studied 32 healthy HIV-negative women. Of these, 16 were combined oral contraceptive users.
The team established that “women who used combined oral contraceptives had a higher proportion of CD4+ T lymphocytes containing the CCR5 receptor which normally promotes HIV transmission across mucus membranes,” Dr. Kapembwa said.
This finding “provides for the first time, a potential mechanism as to why women taking combined oral contraceptives might be more susceptible to HIV transmission.”
This is particularly relevant, he added “in Africa and Southeast Asia where heterosexual transmission is the predominant mode of spread of HIV.”
“Other factors may play a part,” he concluded, “and we are continuing to search for these.”
Source: BJOG 2004;111:1468-1470. [ Google search on this article ]
MeSH Headings:Biochemical Phenomena: Biochemical Phenomena, Metabolism, and Nutrition: Biological Phenomena: Biological Phenomena, Cell Phenomena, and Immunity: Biological Sciences: Biology: Chemical and Pharmacologic Phenomena: Gene Expression Regulation: Genetics: Genetics, Biochemical: Immunologic and Biological Factors: Immunologic Factors: Membrane Proteins: Microbiologic Phenomena: Molecular Biology: Receptors, Cell Surface: Receptors, Immunologic: Receptors, Virus: Receptors, HIV: Up-Regulation (Physiology): Virus Shedding: Receptors, Cytokine: Viral Physiology: Receptors, Chemokine: Receptors, CCR5: Chemical Actions and Uses: Chemical Actions: Biological Sciences: Chemicals and DrugsCopyright © 2002 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. Reuters and the Reuters sphere logo are registered trademarks and trademarks of the Reuters group of companies around the world.
