Lifetime sexual violence exposure in women compromises systemic innate immune mediators associated with HIV pathogenesis: A cross-sectional analysis.

Objectives: Violence and HIV/AIDS syndemic highly prevalent among women impairs HIV prevention efforts. Prolonged exposure to violence results in physical trauma and psychological distress. Building on previous findings regarding genital immune dysregulation following sexual abuse exposure, we investigate here whether systemic changes occur as well.

Impact of chronic sexual abuse and depression on inflammation and wound healing in the female reproductive tract of HIV-uninfected and HIV-infected women.

Sexual violence is associated with increased risk of HIV acquisition/transmission in women. Forced sex can result in physical trauma to the reproductive tract as well as severe psychological distress. However, immuno-biological mechanisms linking sexual violence and HIV susceptibility are incompletely understood.

Immune biomarkers and anti-HIV activity in the reproductive tract of sexually active and sexually inactive adolescent girls.

Problem: Adolescent girls are disproportionately affected by the HIV/AIDS pandemic, accounting for 22% of all new HIV infections globally. Yet little is known regarding the immune microenvironment of the adolescent female reproductive tract, especially regarding differences among sexually active and inactive girls, a critical parameter to evaluate HIV susceptibility associated with young age and sexual debut.

Methods: Cervico-vaginal lavage (CVL) was collected from sexually active (10) and inactive (8) girls aged 11-19 years and analyzed by ELISA for inflammation-associated biomarkers IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α, MIP-3α, IL-1α, IL-1β, matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) 1, 2, 7, 8, and 9, as well as anti-HIV mediators, Elafin, SLPI, human beta-defensin 2, and tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinases (TIMP) 1 and 2.

Secondary Metabolites from Fungal Endophytes of Suppress Cytokine Secretion by Macrophage-Type Cells.

Botanical extracts of have been widely used for the treatment of upper respiratory infections. We sought to chemically examine fungal endophytes inhabiting , and to identify compounds produced by these endophytes with in vitro cytokine-suppressive activity. Twelve isolates from surface sterilized seeds of were subjected to fractionation and major components were isolated.

Ethanolic Echinacea purpurea Extracts Contain a Mixture of Cytokine-Suppressive and Cytokine-Inducing Compounds, Including Some That Originate from Endophytic Bacteria.

Echinacea preparations, which are used for the prevention and treatment of upper respiratory infections, account for 10% of the dietary supplement market in the U.S., with sales totaling more than $100 million annually.