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Comparison of human immunodeficiency virus type 1-specific inhibitory activities in saliva and other human mucosal fluids.

ABSTRACT Several human mucosal fluids are known to possess an innate ability to inhibit human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection and replication in vitro. This study compared the HIV-1 inhibitory activities of several mucosal fluids, whole, submandibular/sublingual (sm/sl), and parotid saliva, breast milk, colostrum, seminal plasma, and cervicovaginal secretions, from HIV-1-seronegative donors by using a 3-day microtiter infection assay. A wide range of HIV-1 inhibitory activity was exhibited in all mucosal fluids tested, with some donors exhibiting high levels of activity while others showed significantly lower levels. Colostrum, whole milk, and whole saliva possessed the highest levels of anti-HIV-1 activity, seminal fluid, cervicovaginal secretions, and sm/sl exhibited moderate levels, and parotid saliva consistently demonstrated the lowest levels of HIV-1 inhibition. Fast protein liquid chromatography gel filtration studies revealed the presence of at least three distinct peaks of inhibitory activity against HIV-1 in saliva and breast milk. Incubation of unfractionated and fractionated whole saliva with antibodies raised against human lactoferrin (hLf), secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor (SLPI), and, to a lesser extent, MG2 (high-molecular-weight mucinous glycoprotein) reduced the HIV-1 inhibitory activity significantly. The results suggest that hLf and SLPI are two key components responsible for HIV-1 inhibitory activity in different mucosal secretions. The variation in HIV inhibitory activity between the fluids and between individuals suggests that there may be major differences in susceptibility to HIV infection depending both on the individual and on the mucosal fluid involved.

Candida albicans isolates from HIV-infected and AIDS patients exhibit enhanced adherence to epithelial cells

The increased prevalence of oral candidosis associated with HIV infection must be intrinsically related to immunological changes in the host, but might also involve alterations to the infecting strains of yeast. This study aimed to determine if strains of Candida albicans isolated from asymptomatic HIV-infected individuals or AIDS patients possessed altered adherence properties in an in-vitro buccal epithelial cell (BEC) adherence assay. C. albicans isolates from 49 patients with HIV infection or AIDS adhered to BEC in significantly higher numbers than isolates from 49 control subjects (p < 0.001). No significant differences in adherence were detected between strains isolated from HIV-infected or AIDS subjects, or between strains isolated from C. Albicans carriers (low salivary C. albicans counts) or subjects with oral candidosis. The presence of whole saliva significantly inhibited the binding of candida to BEC (p < 0.001), but the significant difference in adherence between the HIV/AIDS and control isolates was maintained. The effect of saliva was independent of salivary candida antibodies and was abolished by treatment with protease or neuraminidase, suggesting the involvement of salivary mucins. The results of this study suggest that HIV infection is associated with the selection of strains of C. albicans with and increased ability to adhere to oral mucosa.