Enhanced cellular responses and environmental sampling within inner foreskin explants: Implications for the foreskin's role in HIV transmission

K. M. Fahrbach, S. M. Barry, M. R. Anderson, T. J. Hope

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

45 Scopus citations

Abstract

The decrease in HIV acquisition after circumcision suggests a role for the foreskin in HIV transmission. However, the mechanism leading to protection remains undefined. Using tissue explant cultures we found that Langerhans cells (LCs) in foreskin alter their cellular protein expression in response to external stimuli. Furthermore, we observe that upon treatment with TNF-α, tissue-resident LCs became activated and that stimulatory cytokines can specifically cause an influx of CD4+ T-cells into the epithelial layer. Importantly, both of these changes are significant in the inner, but not outer, foreskin. In addition, we find that LCs in the inner foreskin have increased ability to sample environmental proteins. These results suggest differences in permeability between the inner and outer foreskin and indicate that HIV target cells in the inner foreskin have increased interaction with external factors. This increased responsiveness and sampling provides novel insights into the underlying mechanism of how circumcision can decrease HIV transmission.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)410-418
Number of pages9
JournalMucosal Immunology
Volume3
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Jul 2010

Funding

We thank the Urology department and the Pathology laboratory of Northwestern Memorial Hospital and Rush University Medical Center of Chicago, Illinois, and the patients for their cooperation in tissue specimen collection. This work was supported by NIH grants AI052051 and AI076968.

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Immunology and Allergy
  • Immunology

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