The Presence and Anti-HIV-1 Function of Tenascin C in Breast Milk and Genital Fluids.

Tenascin-C (TNC) is a newly identified innate HIV-1-neutralizing protein present in breast milk, yet its presence and potential HIV-inhibitory function in other mucosal fluids is unknown. In this study, we identified TNC as a component of semen and cervical fluid of HIV-1-infected and uninfected ind...

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Main Authors: Robin G Mansour, Lisa Stamper, Frederick Jaeger, Erin McGuire, Genevieve Fouda, Joshua Amos, Kimberly Barbas, Tomoo Ohashi, S Munir Alam, Harold Erickson, Sallie R Permar
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2016-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0155261&type=printable
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author Robin G Mansour
Lisa Stamper
Frederick Jaeger
Erin McGuire
Genevieve Fouda
Joshua Amos
Kimberly Barbas
Tomoo Ohashi
S Munir Alam
Harold Erickson
Sallie R Permar
author_facet Robin G Mansour
Lisa Stamper
Frederick Jaeger
Erin McGuire
Genevieve Fouda
Joshua Amos
Kimberly Barbas
Tomoo Ohashi
S Munir Alam
Harold Erickson
Sallie R Permar
author_sort Robin G Mansour
collection DOAJ
description Tenascin-C (TNC) is a newly identified innate HIV-1-neutralizing protein present in breast milk, yet its presence and potential HIV-inhibitory function in other mucosal fluids is unknown. In this study, we identified TNC as a component of semen and cervical fluid of HIV-1-infected and uninfected individuals, although it is present at a significantly lower concentration and frequency compared to that of colostrum and mature breast milk, potentially due to genital fluid protease degradation. However, TNC was able to neutralize HIV-1 after exposure to low pH, suggesting that TNC could be active at low pH in the vaginal compartment. As mucosal fluids are complex and contain a number of proteins known to interact with the HIV-1 envelope, we further studied the relationship between the concentration of TNC and neutralizing activity in breast milk. The amount of TNC correlated only weakly with the overall innate HIV-1-neutralizing activity of breast milk of uninfected women and negatively correlated with neutralizing activity in milk of HIV-1 infected women, indicating that the amount of TNC in mucosal fluids is not adequate to impede HIV-1 transmission. Moreover, the presence of polyclonal IgG from milk of HIV-1 infected women, but not other HIV-1 envelope-binding milk proteins or monoclonal antibodies, blocked the neutralizing activity of TNC. Finally, as exogenous administration of TNC would be necessary for it to mediate measurable HIV-1 neutralizing activity in mucosal compartments, we established that recombinantly produced TNC has neutralizing activity against transmitted/founder HIV-1 strains that mimic that of purified TNC. Thus, we conclude that endogenous TNC concentration in mucosal fluids is likely inadequate to block HIV-1 transmission to uninfected individuals.
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spelling doaj-art-0d138c83fe6941b59d080dbafb03f5512025-08-20T02:15:42ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032016-01-01115e015526110.1371/journal.pone.0155261The Presence and Anti-HIV-1 Function of Tenascin C in Breast Milk and Genital Fluids.Robin G MansourLisa StamperFrederick JaegerErin McGuireGenevieve FoudaJoshua AmosKimberly BarbasTomoo OhashiS Munir AlamHarold EricksonSallie R PermarTenascin-C (TNC) is a newly identified innate HIV-1-neutralizing protein present in breast milk, yet its presence and potential HIV-inhibitory function in other mucosal fluids is unknown. In this study, we identified TNC as a component of semen and cervical fluid of HIV-1-infected and uninfected individuals, although it is present at a significantly lower concentration and frequency compared to that of colostrum and mature breast milk, potentially due to genital fluid protease degradation. However, TNC was able to neutralize HIV-1 after exposure to low pH, suggesting that TNC could be active at low pH in the vaginal compartment. As mucosal fluids are complex and contain a number of proteins known to interact with the HIV-1 envelope, we further studied the relationship between the concentration of TNC and neutralizing activity in breast milk. The amount of TNC correlated only weakly with the overall innate HIV-1-neutralizing activity of breast milk of uninfected women and negatively correlated with neutralizing activity in milk of HIV-1 infected women, indicating that the amount of TNC in mucosal fluids is not adequate to impede HIV-1 transmission. Moreover, the presence of polyclonal IgG from milk of HIV-1 infected women, but not other HIV-1 envelope-binding milk proteins or monoclonal antibodies, blocked the neutralizing activity of TNC. Finally, as exogenous administration of TNC would be necessary for it to mediate measurable HIV-1 neutralizing activity in mucosal compartments, we established that recombinantly produced TNC has neutralizing activity against transmitted/founder HIV-1 strains that mimic that of purified TNC. Thus, we conclude that endogenous TNC concentration in mucosal fluids is likely inadequate to block HIV-1 transmission to uninfected individuals.https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0155261&type=printable
spellingShingle Robin G Mansour
Lisa Stamper
Frederick Jaeger
Erin McGuire
Genevieve Fouda
Joshua Amos
Kimberly Barbas
Tomoo Ohashi
S Munir Alam
Harold Erickson
Sallie R Permar
The Presence and Anti-HIV-1 Function of Tenascin C in Breast Milk and Genital Fluids.
PLoS ONE
title The Presence and Anti-HIV-1 Function of Tenascin C in Breast Milk and Genital Fluids.
title_full The Presence and Anti-HIV-1 Function of Tenascin C in Breast Milk and Genital Fluids.
title_fullStr The Presence and Anti-HIV-1 Function of Tenascin C in Breast Milk and Genital Fluids.
title_full_unstemmed The Presence and Anti-HIV-1 Function of Tenascin C in Breast Milk and Genital Fluids.
title_short The Presence and Anti-HIV-1 Function of Tenascin C in Breast Milk and Genital Fluids.
title_sort presence and anti hiv 1 function of tenascin c in breast milk and genital fluids
url https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0155261&type=printable
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