HIV-exposed seronegative sex workers express high levels of regulatory T cells, low levels of T cell activation and an intact ectocervical tissue microenvironment

Immunological correlates of natural resistance to HIV have been identified in HIV-exposed seronegative (HESN) individuals. The cervicovaginal epithelium has not been studied for such correlates despite constituting an important barrier against sexual HIV transmission. To fill this gap in knowledge, we collected samples of blood and genital mucosa from Kenyan HESN sex workers (n=29) and controls (n=33). The samples were analyzed by several methods including tissue-based RNA sequencing. A significantly higher relative proportion of regulatory T cells and lower proportion of activated cervical T cells were found in the HESN group compared with the controls. However, they had comparable tissue RNA transcriptional profiles. In conclusion, the identification of an increased proportion of regulatory T cells in blood, a lower proportion of activated cervical T cells, and an intact ectocervical microenvironment in HESN individuals add new data to current knowledge about natural resistance to sexual transmission of HIV. In this study we compared the gene expression between a group of HIV-exposed seronegative (HESN) women and a group of new negatives (NN), acting as control group. The groups consisted of n = 28 samples each. The RNA was extracted from ectocervical biopsies. >>>Submitter declares that the raw data will be deposited in EGA due to patient privacy concerns.<<<