Alexandra Schuetz, Michael Corley, Carlo Sacdalan, Yuwadee Phuang-Ngern, Thitiyanun Nakpor, Tanyaporn Wansom, Philip K Ehrenberg, Somchai Sriplienchan, Rasmi Thomas, Nisakorn Ratnaratorn, Suchada Sukhumvittaya, Nipattra Tragonlugsana, Bonnie M Slike, Siriwat Akapirat, Suteeraporn Pinyakorn, Rungsun Rerknimitr, Alina Ps Pang, Eugène Kroon, Nipat Teeratakulpisan, Shelly J Krebs, Nittaya Phanuphak, Lishomwa C Ndhlovu, Sandhya Vasan
Transgender women (TGW) are disproportionally affected by HIV infection, with a global estimated prevalence of 19.9%, often attributed to behavioral risk factors, with less known about biological factors. We evaluated potential biological risk factors for HIV acquisition in TGW at the sites of viral entry by assessing immune parameters of neovaginal surface and gut mucosa. The neovagina in TGW, compared to the vagina in CW, shows distinct cell composition and may pose a more inflammatory environment, evidenced by increased CD4+ T cell activation and higher levels of soluble markers of inflammation (CRP, sCD30)...
July 11, 2023: JCI Insight