Anna Gibbs, Katie Healy, Vilde Kaldhusdal, Christopher Sundling, Mathias Franzén-Boger, Gabriella Edfeldt, Marcus Buggert, Julie Lajoie, Keith R Fowke, Joshua Kimani, Douglas S Kwon, Sonia Andersson, Johan K Sandberg, Kristina Broliden, Haleh Davanian, Margaret Sällberg Chen, Annelie Tjernlund
BACKGROUND: MAIT cells are innate-like T cells with specialized antimicrobial functions. Circulating MAIT cells are depleted in chronic HIV infection but studies examining this effect in peripheral tissues, such as the female genital tract, are lacking. METHODS: Flow cytometry was used to investigate circulating MAIT cells in a cohort of HIV+ and HIV- female sex workers (HIV+FSW, HIV-FSW, respectively), and HIV-low-risk women (HIV-LR). In situ staining and qPCR were performed to explore the phenotype of MAIT cells residing in paired cervicovaginal tissue...
May 2, 2022: Journal of Infectious Diseases