Recent Semen Exposure Impacts the Cytokine Response and Bacterial Vaginosis in Women
BackgroundThe presence of semen in the vagina from unprotected sex may influence the immune and microbial environment of the female genital tract. Inflammatory cytokine concentrations and BV-associated bacteria in female genital secretions may influence HIV risk, although the effect of recent sexual...
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| Format: | Article |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2021-06-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Immunology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2021.695201/full |
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| author | Khanyisile Mngomezulu Gugulethu F. Mzobe Andile Mtshali Farzana Osman Lenine J. P. Liebenberg Lenine J. P. Liebenberg Nigel Garrett Nigel Garrett Ravesh Singh Ravesh Singh Anne Rompalo Adrian Mindel Salim S. Abdool Karim Salim S. Abdool Karim Quarraisha Abdool Karim Quarraisha Abdool Karim Cheryl Baxter Cheryl Baxter Sinaye Ngcapu Sinaye Ngcapu |
| author_facet | Khanyisile Mngomezulu Gugulethu F. Mzobe Andile Mtshali Farzana Osman Lenine J. P. Liebenberg Lenine J. P. Liebenberg Nigel Garrett Nigel Garrett Ravesh Singh Ravesh Singh Anne Rompalo Adrian Mindel Salim S. Abdool Karim Salim S. Abdool Karim Quarraisha Abdool Karim Quarraisha Abdool Karim Cheryl Baxter Cheryl Baxter Sinaye Ngcapu Sinaye Ngcapu |
| author_sort | Khanyisile Mngomezulu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | BackgroundThe presence of semen in the vagina from unprotected sex may influence the immune and microbial environment of the female genital tract. Inflammatory cytokine concentrations and BV-associated bacteria in female genital secretions may influence HIV risk, although the effect of recent sexual intercourse on incident BV and the cytokine milieu of cervicovaginal secretions has rarely been measured in previous studies. Here, we investigated the extent to which partner semen impacts the cytokine response and incident BV.MethodsAt baseline, we assessed the recency of semen exposure in menstrual cup supernatants by quantifying prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels using ELISA in 248 HIV-uninfected women at high risk for HIV infection. Luminex was used to measure 48 cytokines in menstrual cup supernatants and vaginal swabs to diagnose BV by Nugent score. Point-of-care screening for Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae was conducted using GeneXpert while OSOM was used for Trichomonas vaginalis detection. Multivariable models, adjusted for age, sexually transmitted infections, BV, current contraception use and condom use, were used to assess the impact of semen exposure on biomarkers of inflammation and BV.ResultsPresence of PSA, indicating recent semen exposure within 48 hours prior to sampling, was observed in menstrual cup supernatants of 17% (43/248) of women. Of these women, 70% (30/43) had self-reported condom use at their last sex act and 84% (36/43) had BV (Nugent score >7). PSA presence was significantly associated with prevalent BV (Relative Risk (RR), 2.609; 95% Confidence Interval (CI), 1.104 - 6.165; p = 0.029). Furthermore, women with detectable PSA had high median concentrations of macrophage inflammatory protein- beta (MIP-1α, p=0.047) and low median concentration of the stem cell growth factor beta (SCGF-β, p=0.038) compared to those without PSA.ConclusionA degree of discordance between self-reports of consistent condom use and PSA positivity was observed. There was also evidence of a relationship between recent semen exposure, BV prevalence and altered cytokine concentrations. These findings suggest that PSA, as a semen biomarker, should be taken into consideration when investigating biological markers in the female genital tract and self-reported condom use in studies on reproductive and sexual health. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-20T23:13:35Z |
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| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-3224 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-20T23:13:35Z |
| publishDate | 2021-06-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Immunology |
| spelling | doaj.art-9f9a685a0da24e9399e8117d550dc24e2022-12-21T19:23:40ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Immunology1664-32242021-06-011210.3389/fimmu.2021.695201695201Recent Semen Exposure Impacts the Cytokine Response and Bacterial Vaginosis in WomenKhanyisile Mngomezulu0Gugulethu F. Mzobe1Andile Mtshali2Farzana Osman3Lenine J. P. Liebenberg4Lenine J. P. Liebenberg5Nigel Garrett6Nigel Garrett7Ravesh Singh8Ravesh Singh9Anne Rompalo10Adrian Mindel11Salim S. Abdool Karim12Salim S. Abdool Karim13Quarraisha Abdool Karim14Quarraisha Abdool Karim15Cheryl Baxter16Cheryl Baxter17Sinaye Ngcapu18Sinaye Ngcapu19Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA), Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South AfricaCentre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA), Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South AfricaCentre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA), Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South AfricaCentre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA), Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South AfricaCentre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA), Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South AfricaDepartment of Medical Microbiology, Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South AfricaCentre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA), Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South AfricaDepartment of Public Health, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South AfricaDepartment of Medical Microbiology, Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South AfricaDepartment of Microbiology, National Health Laboratory Services, KwaZulu-Natal Academic Complex, Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital, Durban, South AfricaDepartment of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United StatesCentre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA), Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South AfricaCentre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA), Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South AfricaDepartment of Epidemiology, Columbia University, New York, NY, United StatesCentre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA), Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South AfricaDepartment of Epidemiology, Columbia University, New York, NY, United StatesCentre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA), Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South AfricaDepartment of Public Health, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South AfricaCentre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA), Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South AfricaDepartment of Medical Microbiology, Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South AfricaBackgroundThe presence of semen in the vagina from unprotected sex may influence the immune and microbial environment of the female genital tract. Inflammatory cytokine concentrations and BV-associated bacteria in female genital secretions may influence HIV risk, although the effect of recent sexual intercourse on incident BV and the cytokine milieu of cervicovaginal secretions has rarely been measured in previous studies. Here, we investigated the extent to which partner semen impacts the cytokine response and incident BV.MethodsAt baseline, we assessed the recency of semen exposure in menstrual cup supernatants by quantifying prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels using ELISA in 248 HIV-uninfected women at high risk for HIV infection. Luminex was used to measure 48 cytokines in menstrual cup supernatants and vaginal swabs to diagnose BV by Nugent score. Point-of-care screening for Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae was conducted using GeneXpert while OSOM was used for Trichomonas vaginalis detection. Multivariable models, adjusted for age, sexually transmitted infections, BV, current contraception use and condom use, were used to assess the impact of semen exposure on biomarkers of inflammation and BV.ResultsPresence of PSA, indicating recent semen exposure within 48 hours prior to sampling, was observed in menstrual cup supernatants of 17% (43/248) of women. Of these women, 70% (30/43) had self-reported condom use at their last sex act and 84% (36/43) had BV (Nugent score >7). PSA presence was significantly associated with prevalent BV (Relative Risk (RR), 2.609; 95% Confidence Interval (CI), 1.104 - 6.165; p = 0.029). Furthermore, women with detectable PSA had high median concentrations of macrophage inflammatory protein- beta (MIP-1α, p=0.047) and low median concentration of the stem cell growth factor beta (SCGF-β, p=0.038) compared to those without PSA.ConclusionA degree of discordance between self-reports of consistent condom use and PSA positivity was observed. There was also evidence of a relationship between recent semen exposure, BV prevalence and altered cytokine concentrations. These findings suggest that PSA, as a semen biomarker, should be taken into consideration when investigating biological markers in the female genital tract and self-reported condom use in studies on reproductive and sexual health.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2021.695201/fullsemen exposureprostate specific antigengenital inflammationcytokinesbacterial vaginosis |
| spellingShingle | Khanyisile Mngomezulu Gugulethu F. Mzobe Andile Mtshali Farzana Osman Lenine J. P. Liebenberg Lenine J. P. Liebenberg Nigel Garrett Nigel Garrett Ravesh Singh Ravesh Singh Anne Rompalo Adrian Mindel Salim S. Abdool Karim Salim S. Abdool Karim Quarraisha Abdool Karim Quarraisha Abdool Karim Cheryl Baxter Cheryl Baxter Sinaye Ngcapu Sinaye Ngcapu Recent Semen Exposure Impacts the Cytokine Response and Bacterial Vaginosis in Women Frontiers in Immunology semen exposure prostate specific antigen genital inflammation cytokines bacterial vaginosis |
| title | Recent Semen Exposure Impacts the Cytokine Response and Bacterial Vaginosis in Women |
| title_full | Recent Semen Exposure Impacts the Cytokine Response and Bacterial Vaginosis in Women |
| title_fullStr | Recent Semen Exposure Impacts the Cytokine Response and Bacterial Vaginosis in Women |
| title_full_unstemmed | Recent Semen Exposure Impacts the Cytokine Response and Bacterial Vaginosis in Women |
| title_short | Recent Semen Exposure Impacts the Cytokine Response and Bacterial Vaginosis in Women |
| title_sort | recent semen exposure impacts the cytokine response and bacterial vaginosis in women |
| topic | semen exposure prostate specific antigen genital inflammation cytokines bacterial vaginosis |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2021.695201/full |
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