Methods
Longitudinal prospective cohort study of pregnant and non-pregnant women. Cervicovaginal lavage was performed at each visit. Inflammatory mediators were measured using a multiplex bead assay. In vitro HIV infectivity was evaluated using a TZM-bl assay and measured with a luminometer. Median concentration of each mediator was compared between pregnant and non-pregnant women using Wilcoxon rank sum test at each visit. Spearman rank correlation was calculated between infectivity inhibition and each mediator at each visit.
Methods
Longitudinal prospective cohort study of pregnant and non-pregnant women. Cervicovaginal lavage was performed at each visit. Inflammatory mediators were measured using a multiplex bead assay. In vitro HIV infectivity was evaluated using a TZM-bl assay and measured with a luminometer. Median concentration of each mediator was compared between pregnant and non-pregnant women using Wilcoxon rank sum test at each visit. Spearman rank correlation was calculated between infectivity inhibition and each mediator at each visit.
Results
40 pregnant and 36 non-pregnant women were enrolled. Cervicovaginal fluid decreased the HIV infectivity compared to control but was not different between pregnant and non-pregnant women. Median values of most mediators did not differ between the pregnant and non-pregnant groups during the visits in the first or second trimesters. During the third trimester, the concentrations of several mediators were different between groups: human beta defensin (HBD)2, HBD-3, lactoferrin, cathelicidin (LL)-37, stromal cell derived factor (SDF)-1 (p<0.05 for all). The antimicrobial peptide elafin was significantly correlated with HIV infectivity at each visit for both non-pregnant and pregnant women, but this correlation was not seen in the pregnant group at the postpartum visit (n=16). Secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor (SLPI) was also significantly correlated with HIV infectivity at each visit for non-pregnant women, but was only significantly correlated in the pregnant group at the second trimester visit. In the second and third trimesters lactoferrin, LL-37, and SDF-1 were negatively correlated with HIV infectivity. (Table)
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