HTLV-1 Proviral Load in Vaginal Fluid Correlates with Levels in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells
Background: The prevalence of human T-lymphotropic virus type-1 (HTLV-1) infection is higher in women, and sexual intercourse has been described as an important route of male-to-female transmission. The present study aimed to quantify HTLV-1 proviral load (PVL) in vaginal fluid, and to investigate c...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-05-01
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| Series: | Pathogens |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/12/5/682 |
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| author | Alisson de Aquino Firmino Paulo Roberto Tavares Gomes Filho Adenilda Lima Lopes Martins Thessika Hialla Araújo Luana Leandro Gois Everton da Silva Batista Jean Paulo Lacerda Araújo Bernardo Galvão-Castro Maria Fernanda Rios Grassi |
| author_facet | Alisson de Aquino Firmino Paulo Roberto Tavares Gomes Filho Adenilda Lima Lopes Martins Thessika Hialla Araújo Luana Leandro Gois Everton da Silva Batista Jean Paulo Lacerda Araújo Bernardo Galvão-Castro Maria Fernanda Rios Grassi |
| author_sort | Alisson de Aquino Firmino |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: The prevalence of human T-lymphotropic virus type-1 (HTLV-1) infection is higher in women, and sexual intercourse has been described as an important route of male-to-female transmission. The present study aimed to quantify HTLV-1 proviral load (PVL) in vaginal fluid, and to investigate correlations with PVL in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). In addition, cytopathological alterations and vaginal microbiota were evaluated. Methods: HTLV-1-infected women were consecutively recruited at a multidisciplinary center for HTLV patients in Salvador, Brazil. All women underwent gynecological examinations to obtain cervicovaginal fluid and venipuncture for blood collection. PVL, as measured by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT–qPCR), was expressed as the number of copies of HTLV-1/10<sup>6</sup> cells in blood and vaginal fluid samples. Light microscopy was used to assess cervicovaginal cytopathology and vaginal microbiota. Results: In the 56 included women (43 asymptomatic carriers and 13 diagnosed with HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis—HAM/TSP), mean age was 35.9 (SD ± 7.2) years. PVL was higher in PBMCs (median: 23,264 copies/10<sup>6</sup> cells; IQR: 6776–60,036) than in vaginal fluid (451.9 copies/10<sup>6</sup> cells; IQR: 0–2490) (<i>p</i> < 0.0001). PVL in PBMCs was observed to correlate directly with PVL in vaginal fluid (R = 0.37, <i>p</i> = 0.006). PVL was detected in the vaginal fluid of 24 of 43 (55.8%) asymptomatic women compared to 12 of 13 (92.3%) HAM/TSP patients, <i>p</i> = 0.02. Cytopathologic analyses revealed no differences between women with detectable or undetectable PVL. Conclusion: HTLV-1 proviral load is detectable in vaginal fluid and correlates directly with proviral load in peripheral blood. This finding suggests that sexual transmission of HTLV-1 from females to males may occur, as well as vertical transmission, particularly in the context of vaginal delivery. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T03:25:12Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2d278daee93e4008a2f20f4730827b81 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-0817 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T03:25:12Z |
| publishDate | 2023-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Pathogens |
| spelling | doaj.art-2d278daee93e4008a2f20f4730827b812023-11-18T02:46:52ZengMDPI AGPathogens2076-08172023-05-0112568210.3390/pathogens12050682HTLV-1 Proviral Load in Vaginal Fluid Correlates with Levels in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear CellsAlisson de Aquino Firmino0Paulo Roberto Tavares Gomes Filho1Adenilda Lima Lopes Martins2Thessika Hialla Araújo3Luana Leandro Gois4Everton da Silva Batista5Jean Paulo Lacerda Araújo6Bernardo Galvão-Castro7Maria Fernanda Rios Grassi8Integrative Multidisciplinary HTLV Center (CHTLV), Bahiana School of Medicine and Public Health (EBMSP), Salvador 40290-000, Bahia, BrazilIntegrative Multidisciplinary HTLV Center (CHTLV), Bahiana School of Medicine and Public Health (EBMSP), Salvador 40290-000, Bahia, BrazilIntegrative Multidisciplinary HTLV Center (CHTLV), Bahiana School of Medicine and Public Health (EBMSP), Salvador 40290-000, Bahia, BrazilIntegrative Multidisciplinary HTLV Center (CHTLV), Bahiana School of Medicine and Public Health (EBMSP), Salvador 40290-000, Bahia, BrazilIntegrative Multidisciplinary HTLV Center (CHTLV), Bahiana School of Medicine and Public Health (EBMSP), Salvador 40290-000, Bahia, BrazilIntegrative Multidisciplinary HTLV Center (CHTLV), Bahiana School of Medicine and Public Health (EBMSP), Salvador 40290-000, Bahia, BrazilIntegrative Multidisciplinary HTLV Center (CHTLV), Bahiana School of Medicine and Public Health (EBMSP), Salvador 40290-000, Bahia, BrazilIntegrative Multidisciplinary HTLV Center (CHTLV), Bahiana School of Medicine and Public Health (EBMSP), Salvador 40290-000, Bahia, BrazilIntegrative Multidisciplinary HTLV Center (CHTLV), Bahiana School of Medicine and Public Health (EBMSP), Salvador 40290-000, Bahia, BrazilBackground: The prevalence of human T-lymphotropic virus type-1 (HTLV-1) infection is higher in women, and sexual intercourse has been described as an important route of male-to-female transmission. The present study aimed to quantify HTLV-1 proviral load (PVL) in vaginal fluid, and to investigate correlations with PVL in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). In addition, cytopathological alterations and vaginal microbiota were evaluated. Methods: HTLV-1-infected women were consecutively recruited at a multidisciplinary center for HTLV patients in Salvador, Brazil. All women underwent gynecological examinations to obtain cervicovaginal fluid and venipuncture for blood collection. PVL, as measured by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT–qPCR), was expressed as the number of copies of HTLV-1/10<sup>6</sup> cells in blood and vaginal fluid samples. Light microscopy was used to assess cervicovaginal cytopathology and vaginal microbiota. Results: In the 56 included women (43 asymptomatic carriers and 13 diagnosed with HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis—HAM/TSP), mean age was 35.9 (SD ± 7.2) years. PVL was higher in PBMCs (median: 23,264 copies/10<sup>6</sup> cells; IQR: 6776–60,036) than in vaginal fluid (451.9 copies/10<sup>6</sup> cells; IQR: 0–2490) (<i>p</i> < 0.0001). PVL in PBMCs was observed to correlate directly with PVL in vaginal fluid (R = 0.37, <i>p</i> = 0.006). PVL was detected in the vaginal fluid of 24 of 43 (55.8%) asymptomatic women compared to 12 of 13 (92.3%) HAM/TSP patients, <i>p</i> = 0.02. Cytopathologic analyses revealed no differences between women with detectable or undetectable PVL. Conclusion: HTLV-1 proviral load is detectable in vaginal fluid and correlates directly with proviral load in peripheral blood. This finding suggests that sexual transmission of HTLV-1 from females to males may occur, as well as vertical transmission, particularly in the context of vaginal delivery.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/12/5/682HTLV-1proviral loadvaginal proviral load |
| spellingShingle | Alisson de Aquino Firmino Paulo Roberto Tavares Gomes Filho Adenilda Lima Lopes Martins Thessika Hialla Araújo Luana Leandro Gois Everton da Silva Batista Jean Paulo Lacerda Araújo Bernardo Galvão-Castro Maria Fernanda Rios Grassi HTLV-1 Proviral Load in Vaginal Fluid Correlates with Levels in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells Pathogens HTLV-1 proviral load vaginal proviral load |
| title | HTLV-1 Proviral Load in Vaginal Fluid Correlates with Levels in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells |
| title_full | HTLV-1 Proviral Load in Vaginal Fluid Correlates with Levels in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells |
| title_fullStr | HTLV-1 Proviral Load in Vaginal Fluid Correlates with Levels in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells |
| title_full_unstemmed | HTLV-1 Proviral Load in Vaginal Fluid Correlates with Levels in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells |
| title_short | HTLV-1 Proviral Load in Vaginal Fluid Correlates with Levels in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells |
| title_sort | htlv 1 proviral load in vaginal fluid correlates with levels in peripheral blood mononuclear cells |
| topic | HTLV-1 proviral load vaginal proviral load |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/12/5/682 |
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