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Innate and adaptive immune responses in male and female reproductive tracts in homeostasis and following HIV infection

Cellular & Molecular Immunology volume 11, pages 410–427 (2014)Cite this article

Abstract

The male and female reproductive tracts are complex microenvironments that have diverse functional demands. The immune system in the reproductive tract has the demanding task of providing a protective environment for a fetal allograft while simultaneously conferring protection against potential pathogens. As such, it has evolved a unique set of adaptations, primarily under the influence of sex hormones, which make it distinct from other mucosal sites. Here, we discuss the various components of the immune system that are present in both the male and female reproductive tracts, including innate soluble factors and cells and humoral and cell-mediated adaptive immunity under homeostatic conditions. We review the evidence showing unique phenotypic and functional characteristics of immune cells and responses in the male and female reproductive tracts that exhibit compartmentalization from systemic immunity and discuss how these features are influenced by sex hormones. We also examine the interactions among the reproductive tract, sex hormones and immune responses following HIV-1 infection. An improved understanding of the unique characteristics of the male and female reproductive tracts will provide insights into improving clinical treatments of the immunological causes of infertility and the design of prophylactic interventions for the prevention of sexually transmitted infections.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by research grants from the Ontario HIV Treatment Network (OHTN), the Canadian Foundation of AIDS Research (CANFAR) and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). CK is the recipient of an Applied HIV Research Chair Award from the OHTN. VHF is a recipient of an OHTN Studentship Award and currently holds a CIHR Frederick Banting and Charles Best Canada Graduate Scholarship Doctoral Award. The authors would like to thank the members of Kaushic Lab for the research contributions described in this review.

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  1. Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, McMaster Immunology Research Centre (MIRC) and Michael G. DeGroote Institute of Infectious Diseas Research (IIDR), McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

    Philip V Nguyen, Jessica K Kafka, Victor H Ferreira, Kristy Roth & Charu Kaushic

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Nguyen, P., Kafka, J., Ferreira, V. et al. Innate and adaptive immune responses in male and female reproductive tracts in homeostasis and following HIV infection. Cell Mol Immunol 11, 410–427 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1038/cmi.2014.41

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