Cytokine Network and Sexual Human Immunodeficiency Virus Transmission in Men Who Have Sex With Men

• Published in: Clinical infectious diseases Vol. 71; no. 10; pp. 2655 - 2662
• Main Authors: Vanpouille, Christophe, Frick, Andrew, Rawlings, Stephen A, Hoenigl, Martin, Lisco, Andrea, Margolis, Leonid, Gianella, Sara
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: US Oxford University Press 17.12.2020
• Subjects: Cytokines - immunology; HIV Infections - immunology; HIV Infections - transmission; HIV-1; Homosexuality, Male; Humans; Major and Commentaries; Male; Phylogeny; Sexual and Gender Minorities; cytokine; semen; blood; HIV transmission
• ISSN: 1058-4838; 1537-6591
• DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciz1150

Abstract Background Seminal human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission from men to their partners remains the main driver of HIV epidemics worldwide. Semen is not merely a carrier of the virus, but also provides an immunological milieu that affects HIV transmission. Methods We collected blood and semen from people with HIV whose epidemiologically linked sexual partners either did or did not acquire HIV. Viral transmission was confirmed by phylogenetic linkage (HIV pol). We measured the concentration of 34 cytokines/chemokines by Luminex in the blood and semen of 21 source partners who transmitted HIV (transmitters) and 22 who did not transmit HIV (nontransmitters) to their sexual partners. Differences between cytokine profiles in transmitters versus nontransmitters were analyzed using the multivariate statistical technique of partial least square discriminant analysis. Results The cytokine profile in seminal fluid, but not in peripheral blood, was significantly different between men who have sex with men (MSM) who transmitted HIV and those who did not transmit HIV to their sexual partners (E = 19.77; P < .01). This difference persisted after excluding people with undetectable HIV RNA levels in nontransmitters. Conclusions Seminal cytokine profiles correlated with transmission or nontransmission of HIV from the infected MSM to their partners, independently from seminal viral load. Seminal cytokine spectra might be a contributing determinant of sexual HIV transmission, thus providing new directions for the development of strategies aimed at preventing HIV transmission. The seminal cytokine profile of people who transmitted human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) to partners was statistically different from that of people who did not transmit HIV, even after correction for viral load. The cytokine profiles in blood were not different.