Recent studies conducted by researchers within the MISTRAL project, and where the project has been acknowledged, have highlighted important findings that contribute to our understanding of mucosal immunity, specifically in relation to HIV infection and the microbiome. These studies, focusing on Kenyan sex-working women, offer valuable data that will inform MISTRAL’s investigation into the role of the gut microbiome in HIV infection and potential cure strategies.
New techniques that study the mucosa
A recent study, led by Karolinska Institutet (partner of MISTRAL) and published in the scientific journal Frontiers in immunology, used cutting-edge techniques to explore the immune response in the cervix of women living with HIV. The researchers found that HIV infection triggers persistent immune activation in the cervix, a key site for HIV transmission. They observed an increase in immune cells, such as T cells, along with signs of chronic inflammation in the tissue. These findings highlight that chronic HIV infection is linked to a long-lasting alteration of the ectocervical mucosal immune landscape, even years after primary infection.
This study used a cutting-edge method called “spatial proteomics,” named Method of the Year 2024 by the Nature Methods journal. This technique generates complex spatial images, allowing researchers to visualize and analyse tissue composition and organization in unprecedented detail. Adaptable for studying HIV infection and the host’s interactions with the microbiome, this method could provide key insights into how the gut microbiome influences immune responses. The findings support MISTRAL’s focus on incorporating tissue sampling in clinical trials to obtain spatial information on host responses related to the gut microbiome, paving the way for advances in HIV treatment and potential cure strategies.
Insights into structural mucosal markers
A second study led by Karolinska Instiutet and published in Frontiers in Endocrinology has unveiled significant findings on how natural hormones in women’s bodies affect the protective barrier of the cervix, the lower part of the uterus. The study showed that during the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle, higher estradiol levels correlate with the expression of a protein called desmoglein-1, crucial for maintaining this barrier.
The advanced imaging and gene expression techniques used in this study can be applied to gut mucosal tissue within MISTRAL, offering new perspectives on how the microbiome affects HIV infection. Additionally, the markers identified in the vaginal mucosa can be translated to gut microbiome research, highlighting potential factors that influence HIV infection and could play a role in developing a cure.
