Cytokine concentration and T cell subsets in the female genital tract in the presence of bacterial vaginosis and Trichomonas vaginalis
Trichomonas vaginalis (TV) and bacterial vaginosis (BV) are highly prevalent vaginal infections. Both are associated with pelvic inflammatory disease and HIV acquisition and transmission, though the underlying mechanisms are incompletely understood. We characterized the effect of TV and BV infection...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-04-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2025.1539086/full |
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| author | Marisa R. Young Lisa B. Haddad Lisa B. Haddad Lyle McKinnon Walter O. Ochieng Marta Rowh Amanda Gill Igho Ofotokun Supriya D. Mehta Supriya D. Mehta |
| author_facet | Marisa R. Young Lisa B. Haddad Lisa B. Haddad Lyle McKinnon Walter O. Ochieng Marta Rowh Amanda Gill Igho Ofotokun Supriya D. Mehta Supriya D. Mehta |
| author_sort | Marisa R. Young |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Trichomonas vaginalis (TV) and bacterial vaginosis (BV) are highly prevalent vaginal infections. Both are associated with pelvic inflammatory disease and HIV acquisition and transmission, though the underlying mechanisms are incompletely understood. We characterized the effect of TV and BV infection on inflammatory markers in the vagina among reproductive-aged women in Atlanta, Georgia. Cervicovaginal lavage specimens were collected from HIV seronegative women at a baseline visit and again three months later. Eighteen individual cytokines, 17 T cell subsets, BV, and TV were measured at both timepoints. After natural log transformation, the median cytokine concentration and number of T cells were compared by infection status statistically using the Kruskal-Wallis test. A cytokine inflammation score and a T cell score were created using principal components analysis. The scores were then used as outcomes in separate linear mixed regression models with a random intercept. Sixty women had baseline data and 43 were seen for follow-up. The median age was 30 years, 78% self-reported Black race. TV and BV prevalence at the baseline visit was 15% and 37%, respectively. The concentration of 16 out of 18 cytokines differed by infection status. In multivariable modeling, neither TV nor BV were associated with cytokine score. Most CD4+ T cell subsets (7 out of 9) differed by infection status. In a multivariable model, TV infection was associated with a higher T cell score (1.54; 95%CI 0.00, 3.08). BV was not associated with a higher T cell score. Increased concentration of vaginal mucosal T cells may explain the observed association between TV infection and HIV risk. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-752e7e8abb554c56a3999c679a272a19 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2235-2988 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology |
| spelling | doaj-art-752e7e8abb554c56a3999c679a272a192025-08-20T02:13:12ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology2235-29882025-04-011510.3389/fcimb.2025.15390861539086Cytokine concentration and T cell subsets in the female genital tract in the presence of bacterial vaginosis and Trichomonas vaginalisMarisa R. Young0Lisa B. Haddad1Lisa B. Haddad2Lyle McKinnon3Walter O. Ochieng4Marta Rowh5Amanda Gill6Igho Ofotokun7Supriya D. Mehta8Supriya D. Mehta9Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United StatesDepartment of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United StatesCenter for Biomedical Research, Population Council, New York, NY, United StatesDepartment of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, University of Manitoba Max Rady College of Medicine, Winnipeg, MB, CanadaOffice of the Director, Center for Global Health, United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United StatesDepartment of Emergency Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United StatesEmory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United StatesDivison of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United StatesDivision of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Rush University College of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United StatesDivision of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, United StatesTrichomonas vaginalis (TV) and bacterial vaginosis (BV) are highly prevalent vaginal infections. Both are associated with pelvic inflammatory disease and HIV acquisition and transmission, though the underlying mechanisms are incompletely understood. We characterized the effect of TV and BV infection on inflammatory markers in the vagina among reproductive-aged women in Atlanta, Georgia. Cervicovaginal lavage specimens were collected from HIV seronegative women at a baseline visit and again three months later. Eighteen individual cytokines, 17 T cell subsets, BV, and TV were measured at both timepoints. After natural log transformation, the median cytokine concentration and number of T cells were compared by infection status statistically using the Kruskal-Wallis test. A cytokine inflammation score and a T cell score were created using principal components analysis. The scores were then used as outcomes in separate linear mixed regression models with a random intercept. Sixty women had baseline data and 43 were seen for follow-up. The median age was 30 years, 78% self-reported Black race. TV and BV prevalence at the baseline visit was 15% and 37%, respectively. The concentration of 16 out of 18 cytokines differed by infection status. In multivariable modeling, neither TV nor BV were associated with cytokine score. Most CD4+ T cell subsets (7 out of 9) differed by infection status. In a multivariable model, TV infection was associated with a higher T cell score (1.54; 95%CI 0.00, 3.08). BV was not associated with a higher T cell score. Increased concentration of vaginal mucosal T cells may explain the observed association between TV infection and HIV risk.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2025.1539086/fullTrichomonas vaginalisbacterial vaginosisinflammationcytokinesT cellsHIV risk |
| spellingShingle | Marisa R. Young Lisa B. Haddad Lisa B. Haddad Lyle McKinnon Walter O. Ochieng Marta Rowh Amanda Gill Igho Ofotokun Supriya D. Mehta Supriya D. Mehta Cytokine concentration and T cell subsets in the female genital tract in the presence of bacterial vaginosis and Trichomonas vaginalis Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology Trichomonas vaginalis bacterial vaginosis inflammation cytokines T cells HIV risk |
| title | Cytokine concentration and T cell subsets in the female genital tract in the presence of bacterial vaginosis and Trichomonas vaginalis |
| title_full | Cytokine concentration and T cell subsets in the female genital tract in the presence of bacterial vaginosis and Trichomonas vaginalis |
| title_fullStr | Cytokine concentration and T cell subsets in the female genital tract in the presence of bacterial vaginosis and Trichomonas vaginalis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Cytokine concentration and T cell subsets in the female genital tract in the presence of bacterial vaginosis and Trichomonas vaginalis |
| title_short | Cytokine concentration and T cell subsets in the female genital tract in the presence of bacterial vaginosis and Trichomonas vaginalis |
| title_sort | cytokine concentration and t cell subsets in the female genital tract in the presence of bacterial vaginosis and trichomonas vaginalis |
| topic | Trichomonas vaginalis bacterial vaginosis inflammation cytokines T cells HIV risk |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2025.1539086/full |
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