HIV-Associated Genital Immune Biomarkers in the Female Sex Worker Population: A Pilot Study

Authors

Eleanor Capozzi, Department of Epidemiology, Milken Institute School of Public Health, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA.
Jason Daniels, Department of Epidemiology, Milken Institute School of Public Health, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA.
Hani Mohamed, Department of Epidemiology, Milken Institute School of Public Health, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA.
Fernando Cabezas Mejia, Department of Epidemiology, Milken Institute School of Public Health, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA.
David Sternberg, Department of International Health, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA.
Jennifer Bouey, Department of International Health, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA.
Mimi Ghosh, Department of Epidemiology, Milken Institute School of Public Health, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA.

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

9-1-2024

Journal

American journal of reproductive immunology (New York, N.Y. : 1989)

Volume

92

Issue

3

DOI

10.1111/aji.13929

Keywords

HIV; anti‐HIV antimicrobials; chemokines; female genital tract; female sex workers; immune biomarkers

Abstract

PROBLEM: Female sex workers (FSW) experience a disproportionately high burden of HIV infection, yet characterization of the vaginal immune microenvironment that may impact biological risk is not well studied among FSW in the United States. Additionally, feasible methodology for collecting biological materials has not been evaluated in this population. METHODS: We enrolled 10 FSW (5 premenopausal, 5 postmenopausal) who participated in a survey and provided vaginal swabs. Biomarkers were assessed by ELISA, and included cytokines, chemokines, and antimicrobial/wound-healing mediators. RESULTS: One hundred percent of FSW were African American, with a median age of 43.5. The median age when participants started sex work was 17.5, with 60% working 7 days per week and seeing up to 10 clients per night. Eighty percent reported recent unprotected sex and only 30% used some form of contraception. One self-reported sexually transmitted infection at the time of visit and two reported living with HIV. Vaginal secretions showed detectable levels of all biomarkers tested, except MIP3α and MIP1α, which were undetectable in all samples. When stratified by age/menopause status, no significant changes were observed except for Serpin A1 with higher median levels in premenopausal compared to postmenopausal FSW (median 5.79 vs. 5.205 log pg/mL, p = 0.016). Comparison with samples from an existing repository of non-FSW women showed significantly reduced chemokines IL8 (p = 0.045), MIP3α (p ≤ 0.001), and MIP1β (p = 0.015) in the FSW group. CONCLUSIONS: We report characterization of the vaginal secretome in a cohort of FSW in the United States. Understanding of the genital immune microenvironment can inform future research in HIV prevention and therapeutic options in this population.

APA Citation

Capozzi, Eleanor; Daniels, Jason; Mohamed, Hani; Mejia, Fernando Cabezas; Sternberg, David; Bouey, Jennifer; and Ghosh, Mimi, "HIV-Associated Genital Immune Biomarkers in the Female Sex Worker Population: A Pilot Study" (2024). GW Authored Works. Paper 5699.
https://hsrc.himmelfarb.gwu.edu/gwhpubs/5699

Department

Epidemiology