Chemokines are present in the genital tract of HIV-seropositive and HIV-seronegative women: Correlation with other immune mediators

In this cross-sectional study, 53 cervicovaginal lavage samples (CVL) from 41 women were analyzed for the chemokines interleukin-8 (IL-8), regulated-on-activation normal T-expressed and secreted (RANTES) factor, and macrophage inflammatory protein-1α (MIP-1α) by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). IL-8 was detected in 81% of CVL, whereas RANTES was detected in 32%, and MIP-1α in 15% of the CVL. The mean levels of IL-8, RANTES, and MIP-1α in positive samples were 396 pg/ml, 102 pg/ml, and 34 pg/ml, respectively. IL-8 levels correlated positively with IL-1β and IgG in a subset of CVL samples. RANTES levels correlated positively with complement protein levels. Additionally, the levels of RANTES but not MIP-1α, reached levels reported in previous studies of the effects of β chemokines to inhibit HIV replication. These results suggest that measuring chemokines in CVL specimens can provide important information regarding immune responses in the genital tract.