Variations in immunoglobulins and IgA subclasses of human uterine cervical secretions around the time of ovulation

199

134

Development of vaccines capable of preventing the transmission or limiting the severity of sexually transmitted viruses, such as HSV and HIV, will likely be dependent on the induction of potent long-lasting mucosal immune responses in the genital tract. Recently, synthetic oligodeoxynucleotides (ODN) containing immunostimulatory CpG motifs were shown to serve as potent adjuvants for the induction of mucosal immune responses. Here, we show that intranasal immunization with CpG ODN, plus recombinant glycoprotein B (rgB) of HSV-1, results in significantly elevated levels of specific anti-gB IgA Abs in vaginal washes that remained high throughout the estrous cycle. Additionally, dramatically elevated numbers of specific IgA Ab-secreting cells were present and persisted in the genital tract in response to intravaginal (IVAG) HSV-2 challenge. HSV-2-specific CTL were observed at moderate levels in the spleens of CpG or non-CpG ODN-immunized mice. In contrast, strong CTL responses were observed locally in the genital tissues of both groups following IVAG HSV-2 challenge. Interestingly, mice immunized intranasally with rgB plus CpG ODN, but not non-CpG ODN, were significantly protected following IVAG HSV-2 challenge. Measurement of virus in protected CpG-immunized mice revealed a log lower level of replication within the first few days after infection. In conclusion, these results indicate that intranasal immunization with CpG ODN plus protein mediates immunity in the female genital tract capable of protecting against a sexually transmitted pathogen.

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 53%

Intranasal Immunization with CpG Oligodeoxynucleotides as an Adjuvant Dramatically Increases IgA and Protection Against Herpes Simplex Virus-2 in the Genital Tract

Gallichan¹,

Woolstencroft²,

Guarasci

et al. 2001

199

134

“…The presence of IgA in the vaginal secretions is expected because of the overlap among tissue sites in the common mucosal immune system (26,70,71). Although IgA in the vaginal secretions was likely to be locally produced, the IgG was likely to be from the circulation because as much as 50% of the IgG in cervicovaginal secretions originates from systemic sources (72).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Genetic Immunization with Lung-Targeting Macroaggregated Polyethyleneimine-Albumin Conjugates Elicits Combined Systemic and Mucosal Immune Responses

Orson

Kinsey

Hua

et al. 2000

Genetic immunization is a novel form of vaccination in which transgenes are delivered into the host to produce the foreign protein within host cells. Although systemic immune responses have been relatively easy to induce by genetic immunization, the induction of regional and mucosal immunity has often been more challenging. To address the problem of eliciting mucosal immunity in the lung, we utilized macroaggregated albumin to target plasmid DNA to the lung. Macroaggregated albumin is trapped in the lung after i.v. injection, and it is routinely used in radiolabeled form as an imaging modality to evaluate pulmonary blood flow. To couple DNA to this targeting agent, polyethyleneimine (a polycation that binds DNA and enhances transfection) was conjugated to serum albumin, and the conjugate was aggregated by heating to produce particles of 25–100 μm. The resulting particles bound plasmid DNA avidly, and when injected i.v. in mice, the particles distributed in the peripheral lung tissue in the alveolar interstitium. Particle-bound luciferase plasmid transfected a variety of cell lines in vitro, and after i.v. injection, gene expression was detected exclusively in the lung. Using human growth hormone as the encoded foreign Ag for immunization, i.v. injection of the particle-bound plasmid elicited both pulmonary mucosal and systemic immune responses, whereas naked DNA injected either i.v. or i.m. elicited only systemic responses. Thus, particle-bound plasmid DNA may have utility for genetic immunization by intravascular delivery to the lung and potentially to other organs and tissues.

“…Urine and genital tract secretions contain equal or higher levels of IgG than IgA. Furthermore, in female genital tract secretions, IgA is represented by SIgA, pIgA, and monomeric IgA (mIgA), with a slight excess of IgA2 (7,8). These marked differences in Ig isotype distribution in female genital tract secretions are partly due to the pronounced influence of sex hormones on the regulation of the distribution and selectivity of Ig transport during the menstrual cycle (9).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Human Male Genital Tract Secretions: Both Mucosal and Systemic Immune Compartments Contribute to the Humoral Immunity

Moldoveanu

Huang

Kulhavy

et al. 2005

In contrast to numerous studies of female genital tract secretions, the molecular properties of Abs and the magnitude of humoral responses in human male genital tract secretions to naturally occurring Ags and to mucosal and systemic immunizations have not been extensively investigated. Therefore, seminal plasma (SP) collected from healthy individuals was analyzed with respect to Ig levels, their isotypes, molecular forms of IgA, and for the presence of Abs to naturally occurring Ags, or induced by systemic or mucosal immunizations with viral and bacterial vaccines. The results indicated that in SP, IgG and not IgA, is the dominant Ig isotype, and that IgM is present at low levels. IgA is represented by secretory IgA, polymeric IgA, and monomeric IgA. In contrast to the female genital tract secretions in which IgA2 occurs in slight excess, the distribution of IgA subclasses in SP resembles that in plasma with a pronounced preponderance of IgA1. The IgG subclass profiles in SP are also similar to those in serum. Thus, SP is an external secretion that shares common features with both typical external secretions and plasma. Specifically, SP contains naturally occurring secretory IgA Abs to environmental Ags of microbial origin and to an orally administered bacterial vaccine, and plasma-derived IgG Abs to systemically injected vaccines. Therefore, both mucosal and systemic immunization with various types of Ags can induce humoral responses in SP. These findings should be considered in immunization strategies to induce humoral responses against sexually transmitted infections, including HIV-1.