Skip to main content
Clinical and Experimental Immunology logoLink to Clinical and Experimental Immunology
. 1995 Jul;101(1):100–106. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2249.1995.tb02284.x

Decreased cervicovaginal production of both IgA1 and IgA2 subclasses in women with AIDS.

L Belec 1, D Meillet 1, O Gaillard 1, T Prazuck 1, E Michel 1, J Ngondi Ekome 1, J Pillot 1
PMCID: PMC1553292  PMID: 7621578

Abstract

Paired sera and cervicovaginal secretions from 35 HIV-1-infected women representing different CDC stages of HIV infection were evaluated for total IgA, IgA1 and IgA2, for IgA, IgA1 and IgA2 to gp160, and for albumin. Age-matched healthy women (n = 45) served as controls. The secretion rates of total IgA, IgA1 and IgA2 were evaluated by calculating their relative coefficients of excretion by reference to albumin. In HIV-infected women, total IgA1 and IgA2 in sera and in cervicovaginal secretions increased proportionately as early as stages II + III and more markedly at stage IV. By contrast, the secretion rates of total IgA IgA1 and IgA2 were markedly reduced in AIDS women, the IgA2 secretion rate decreasing significantly as early as stages II + III. This apparent discrepancy was probably the result of increased transudation of serum-borne immunoglobulins into the vaginal cavity, since albumin levels in cervicovaginal secretions increased significantly according to the stages of disease. HIV-reactive IgA antibodies in serum, as in cervicovaginal secretions, were principally found within the IgA1 subclass. In women at stage IV, a high local production of IgA1 to gp160 occurred in spite of the impairment of cervicovaginal IgA synthesis, probably because of marked genital HIV replication at advanced stages.

Full text

PDF
100

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Alexander N. J. Sexual transmission of human immunodeficiency virus: virus entry into the male and female genital tract. World Health Organization, Global Programme on Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. Fertil Steril. 1990 Jul;54(1):1–18. doi: 10.1016/s0015-0282(16)53628-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Archibald D. W., Witt D. J., Craven D. E., Vogt M. W., Hirsch M. S., Essex M. Antibodies to human immunodeficiency virus in cervical secretions from women at risk for AIDS. J Infect Dis. 1987 Jul;156(1):240–241. doi: 10.1093/infdis/156.1.240. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Belec L., Georges A. J., Steenman G., Martin P. M. Antibodies to human immunodeficiency virus in vaginal secretions of heterosexual women. J Infect Dis. 1989 Sep;160(3):385–391. doi: 10.1093/infdis/160.3.385. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Benhamou Y., Kapel N., Hoang C., Matta H., Meillet D., Magne D., Raphael M., Gentilini M., Opolon P., Gobert J. G. Inefficacy of intestinal secretory immune response to Cryptosporidium in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. Gastroenterology. 1995 Mar;108(3):627–635. doi: 10.1016/0016-5085(95)90433-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Bouvet J. P., Bélec L., Pirès R., Pillot J. Immunoglobulin G antibodies in human vaginal secretions after parenteral vaccination. Infect Immun. 1994 Sep;62(9):3957–3961. doi: 10.1128/iai.62.9.3957-3961.1994. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Bélec L., Meillet D., Lévy M., Georges A., Tévi-Bénissan C., Pillot J. Dilution assessment of cervicovaginal secretions obtained by vaginal washing for immunological assays. Clin Diagn Lab Immunol. 1995 Jan;2(1):57–61. doi: 10.1128/cdli.2.1.57-61.1995. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Cassulis P., Farhangfar R., DeBari V. A. Immunoglobulin A subclass distribution in serum from patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. Clin Biochem. 1991 Jun;24(3):277–281. doi: 10.1016/0009-9120(91)80020-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Hénin Y., Mandelbrot L., Henrion R., Pradinaud R., Coulaud J. P., Montagnier L. Virus excretion in the cervicovaginal secretions of pregnant and nonpregnant HIV-infected women. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 1993 Jan;6(1):72–75. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Jackson S., Dawson L. M., Kotler D. P. IgA1 is the major immunoglobulin component of immune complexes in the acquired immune deficiency syndrome. J Clin Immunol. 1988 Jan;8(1):64–68. doi: 10.1007/BF00915158. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Janoff E. N., Jackson S., Wahl S. M., Thomas K., Peterman J. H., Smith P. D. Intestinal mucosal immunoglobulins during human immunodeficiency virus type 1 infection. J Infect Dis. 1994 Aug;170(2):299–307. doi: 10.1093/infdis/170.2.299. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Jonard P. P., Rambaud J. C., Dive C., Vaerman J. P., Galian A., Delacroix D. L. Secretion of immunoglobulins and plasma proteins from the jejunal mucosa. Transport rate and origin of polymeric immunoglobulin A. J Clin Invest. 1984 Aug;74(2):525–535. doi: 10.1172/JCI111450. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Kapel N., Meillet D., Buraud M., Favennec L., Magne D., Gobert J. G. Determination of anti-Cryptosporidium coproantibodies by time-resolved immunofluorometric assay. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg. 1993 May-Jun;87(3):330–332. doi: 10.1016/0035-9203(93)90152-g. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Kotler D. P., Scholes J. V., Tierney A. R. Intestinal plasma cell alterations in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. Dig Dis Sci. 1987 Feb;32(2):129–138. doi: 10.1007/BF01297100. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Kozlowski P. A., Jackson S. Serum IgA subclasses and molecular forms in HIV infection: selective increases in monomer and apparent restriction of the antibody response to IgA1 antibodies mainly directed at env glycoproteins. AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses. 1992 Oct;8(10):1773–1780. doi: 10.1089/aid.1992.8.1773. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Kreiss J., Willerford D. M., Hensel M., Emonyi W., Plummer F., Ndinya-Achola J., Roberts P. L., Hoskyn J., Hillier S., Kiviat N. Association between cervical inflammation and cervical shedding of human immunodeficiency virus DNA. J Infect Dis. 1994 Dec;170(6):1597–1601. doi: 10.1093/infdis/170.6.1597. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Kutteh W. H., Mestecky J. Secretory immunity in the female reproductive tract. Am J Reprod Immunol. 1994 Jan;31(1):40–46. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0897.1994.tb00845.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Lane H. C., Masur H., Edgar L. C., Whalen G., Rook A. H., Fauci A. S. Abnormalities of B-cell activation and immunoregulation in patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. N Engl J Med. 1983 Aug 25;309(8):453–458. doi: 10.1056/NEJM198308253090803. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Lim S. G., Condez A., Lee C. A., Johnson M. A., Elia C., Poulter L. W. Loss of mucosal CD4 lymphocytes is an early feature of HIV infection. Clin Exp Immunol. 1993 Jun;92(3):448–454. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2249.1993.tb03419.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Lu X. S., Bélec L., Pillot J. Anti-gp160 IgG and IgA antibodies associated with a large increase in total IgG in cervicovaginal secretions from human immunodeficiency virus type 1-infected women. J Infect Dis. 1993 May;167(5):1189–1192. doi: 10.1093/infdis/167.5.1189. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Mathewson J. J., Jiang Z. D., DuPont H. L., Chintu C., Luo N., Zumla A. Intestinal secretory IgA immune response against human immunodeficiency virus among infected patients with acute and chronic diarrhea. J Infect Dis. 1994 Mar;169(3):614–617. doi: 10.1093/infdis/169.3.614. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. McGhee J. R., Mestecky J., Elson C. O., Kiyono H. Regulation of IgA synthesis and immune response by T cells and interleukins. J Clin Immunol. 1989 May;9(3):175–199. doi: 10.1007/BF00916814. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Mestecky J., Russell M. W. IgA subclasses. Monogr Allergy. 1986;19:277–301. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Miller C. J., Kang D. W., Marthas M., Moldoveanu Z., Kiyono H., Marx P., Eldridge J. H., Mestecky J., McGhee J. R. Genital secretory immune response to chronic simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) infection: a comparison between intravenously and genitally inoculated rhesus macaques. Clin Exp Immunol. 1992 Jun;88(3):520–526. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2249.1992.tb06481.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Müller F., Frøland S. S., Hvatum M., Radl J., Brandtzaeg P. Both IgA subclasses are reduced in parotid saliva from patients with AIDS. Clin Exp Immunol. 1991 Feb;83(2):203–209. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2249.1991.tb05615.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Nuovo G. J., Forde A., MacConnell P., Fahrenwald R. In situ detection of PCR-amplified HIV-1 nucleic acids and tumor necrosis factor cDNA in cervical tissues. Am J Pathol. 1993 Jul;143(1):40–48. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. O'Shea S., Cordery M., Barrett W. Y., Richman D. D., Bradbeer C., Banatvala J. E. HIV excretion patterns and specific antibody responses in body fluids. J Med Virol. 1990 Aug;31(4):291–296. doi: 10.1002/jmv.1890310409. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. Quesnel A., Moja P., Blanche S., Griscelli C., Genin C. Early impairment of gut mucosal immunity in HIV-1-infected children. Clin Exp Immunol. 1994 Sep;97(3):380–385. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2249.1994.tb06098.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  28. Tarkowski A., Lue C., Moldoveanu Z., Kiyono H., McGhee J. R., Mestecky J. Immunization of humans with polysaccharide vaccines induces systemic, predominantly polymeric IgA2-subclass antibody responses. J Immunol. 1990 May 15;144(10):3770–3778. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  29. Van de Perre P., De Clercq A., Cogniaux-Leclerc J., Nzaramba D., Butzler J. P., Sprecher-Goldberger S. Detection of HIV p17 antigen in lymphocytes but not epithelial cells from cervicovaginal secretions of women seropositive for HIV: implications for heterosexual transmission of the virus. Genitourin Med. 1988 Feb;64(1):30–33. doi: 10.1136/sti.64.1.30. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Clinical and Experimental Immunology are provided here courtesy of British Society for Immunology

RESOURCES