Systemic and mucosal differences in HIV burden, immune, and therapeutic responses.

Background: Mucosal tissues represent major targets for HIV transmission but differ in susceptibility and reservoir function by unknown mechanisms.

Methods: In a cross-sectional study, HIV RNA and infectious virus were compared between oral and genital compartments and blood in HIV-infected women, in association with clinical parameters, copathogens, and putative innate and adaptive HIV inhibitors.

Results: HIV RNA was detectable in 24.5% of women from all 3 compartments, whereas 45% had RNA in only 1 or 2 sites. By comparison, infectious HIV, present in blood of the majority, was rare in mucosal sites. Innate mediators, secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor and thrombospondin, were highest in mucosae. Highly active antiretroviral therapy was associated with an 80% decreased probability of shedding. Multivariate logistic regression models revealed that mucosal HIV RNA was associated with higher plasma RNA, infectious virus, and total mucosal IgA, but not IgG. There was a 37-fold increased probability of detecting RNA in both genital and oral specimens (P = 0.008; P = 0.02, respectively) among women in highest versus lowest IgA tertiles.

Conclusions: Mucosal sites exhibit distinct characteristics of infectious HIV, viral shedding, and responses to therapy, dependent upon both systemic and local factors. Of the putative innate and adaptive mucosal defense factors examined, only IgA was associated with HIV RNA shedding. However, rather than being protective, there was a striking increase in probability of detectable HIV RNA shedding in women with highest total IgA.