Inhibition of HIV and HSV infection by vaginal lactobacilli in vitro and in vivo.

Background And The Purpose Of The Study: The cervico-vaginal mucosa which is populated with microflora (mostly includes lactobacilli) is the portal of entry for sexually transmitted pathogens.

Methods: The in vitro anti-viral effect of vaginal and non-vaginal lactobacillus was evaluated using single cycle HIV-1 replication and HSV-2 plaque reduction assays. The XTT proliferation assay was used to monitor the cellular toxicity.

Introducing a frameshift mutation to the POL sequence of HIV-1 provirus and evaluation of the immunogenic characteristics of the mutated virions (RINNL4-3).

Inactivation of the reverse transcriptase (RT) and integrase (IN) enzymes can abolish the replication of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and, thus, its infectivity. Here, inactivated HIV particles convenient for designing virus-like particle (VLP) based vaccines have been produced. Inactivated HIV-provirus was created by introducing a frame shift mutation.