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Updated: May 23, 2026
Collection, Isolation, and Flow Cytometric Analysis of Human Endocervical Samples
Published on: July 6, 2014
Selective transmigration of monocyte-associated HIV-1 across a human cervical monolayer and its modulation by seminal
Philip Lawrence1, Didier Portran, Rachel Terrasse
1Groupe Immunité des Muqueuses et Agents Pathogènes, PRES de Lyon, Université Jean Monnet, IFRESIS et CHU de Saint-Etienne, France.
Insights
Seminal plasma enhances HIV R5 strain selection by increasing immune cell adherence and epithelial resistance, facilitating R5 tropism transmission during sexual intercourse. This process explains the predominant R5 strain prevalence observed post-exposure.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Immunology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Sexual transmission of Human Immunodeficiency Virus type 1 (HIV-1) predominantly involves the R5 tropism, despite the presence of both R5 and X4 strains in semen.
- The transmigration of HIV-1 infected monocytes across the epithelial barrier is a proposed mechanism for this observed tropism selection.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the transmigration of HIV-1 infected immune cells across an epithelial monolayer.
- To investigate the influence of seminal plasma on this transmigration process, specifically focusing on tropism selection.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a human endometrial carcinoma (HEC)-1A cell line cultured on permeable supports to model the epithelial barrier.
- Studied the transmigration of monocyte-enriched or lymphocyte-enriched populations infected with HIV-1 R5 or X4 strains.
- Quantified transmigrating cells and assessed their infectivity. Analyzed the effect of HIV-negative seminal plasma on cell transmigration and epithelial barrier integrity.
Main Results:
- Observed preferential transmigration of the R5 strain, particularly with monocyte-enriched populations, and confirmed its ability to transmit infection.
- Demonstrated that seminal plasma decreases immune cell transmigration by increasing transepithelial electrical resistance and enhancing immune cell adherence to the epithelial monolayer.
Conclusions:
- Preferential transmigration of HIV-1 R5 strains via monocytes across the endocervical monolayer supports the explanation for predominant R5 strain transmission after sexual intercourse.
- Seminal plasma reinforces this selection by modulating epithelial barrier tightness, thereby influencing HIV-1 transmission dynamics.
Objective:
To analyse the transmigration of immune cells infected by HIV-1 across the epithelial monolayer using the endometrial human endometrial carcinoma (HEC)-1A cell line and to study the influence of seminal plasma in this process.
Design:
After sexual intercourse involving a male partner infected by HIV-1, a selection process has been shown to lead to a predominant transmission of the R5 phenotype despite the presence of X4 and R5 strains in semen. Transmigration of HIV-infected monocytes present in semen may represent a pertinent mechanism that could explain this tropism selection.
Methods:
Epithelial monolayer crossing was studied by using HEC-1A epithelial cells cultured on permeable support and monocyte-enriched or lymphocyte-enriched populations of cells infected or not by HIV R5 or X4 strains. Transmigrating cells were quantified and analysed for their ability to transmit HIV infection to immune target cells. The effect of HIV-negative seminal plasma on cell transmigration was analysed.
Results:
A preferential passage of the R5 strain associated with monocyte-enriched populations was observed together with the ability of this strain to transmit infection. Seminal plasma was found able to decrease the epithelial crossing of immune cells by enhancing transepithelial resistance and by increasing the adherence of immune cells to the monolayer.
Conclusion:
The preferential transmigration of HIV R5 strains associated with monocytes across the endocervical monolayer may explain the predominant transmission of the R5 strains after sexual intercourse. By its capacity to modulate the tightness of the epithelial structure, seminal plasma reinforces this selection process.
