HIV-1-negative female sex workers sustain high cervical IFNɛ, low immune activation, and low expression of HIV-1-required host genes

Sex workers within high HIV endemic areas are often a target population where anti-HIV prophylactic strategies are tested. We hypothesize that in women with high levels of genital exposure to semen changes in cervicovaginal mucosal and/or systemic immune activation will contribute to a decreased susceptibility to HIV-1 infection. To address this question, we assessed sexual activity, immune activation status (in peripheral blood), as well as cellular infiltrates and gene expression in ectocervical mucosa biopsies in female sex workers [FSW] (n=50), as compared to control women [CG] (n=32). FSW had low to absent HIV-1 specific immune responses with significantly lower CD38 expression on circulating CD4+ or CD8+ T-Cells (both: p<0.001) together with lower cervical gene expression of genes associated with leukocyte homing and chemotaxis. FSW also had increased levels of Interferon-ε gene and protein expression in the cervical epithelium together with reduced expression of genes associated with HIV-1 integration and replication. A correlative relationship between semen exposure and elevated type-1 IFN expression in FSW was also established. Overall, our data suggest that long-term condomless sex work can result in multiple changes within the cervicovaginal compartment that would contribute to sustaining a lower susceptibility for HIV-1 infection in absence of HIV-specific responses