Vaginal microbiome associated with natural control of HIV progression

In this study, we examined the vaginal microbiome in HIV-positive and HIV-negative women, with a specific emphasis on those HIV-positive women who control HIV progression without antiretroviral therapy (ART). The mechanisms of natural control of HIV without ART remains unclear, although it is hypothesized that distinct characteristics of the immune system, particularly HIV-specific CD8+ T cell responses mediate natural HIV control. Given that natural HIV control involves unique immune functionality, study of the function of the vaginal microbiome within natural HIV controllers could shed light on the fundamentals of how mucosal microbiomes communicate and the ways in which these interactions can be modulated to create beneficial health outcomes for women with HIV. Various terminologies have been used to describe natural controllers. However, potential differences in mucosal microbe populations among HIV controllers have been understudied. We hypothesized that studying microbiomes of HIV controllers would reveal fundamental relationships between microbes and the immune system in the context of HIV.