Biological Consequences of HIV‐1 Interactions with Bacteria

摘要: Microbiota dysbiosis due to bacterial vaginosis and other venereal diseases has been associated with an increased risk of HIV‐1 transmission and acquisition. The prevalent idea is that microbial perturbations compromise the mucosal integrity and create inflammatory conditions in the mucosa which results in the recruitment and stimulation of immune cells that harbor or are targeted by HIV‐1. However, it is also possible that HIV‐1 virions bind bacteria or bacterial products in a manner that impacts virus infectivity and transmissibility. This study aims to examine direct interactions between HIV‐1 and bacteria and to better understand the biological consequences of such interactions. Specifically, we focus on HIV‐1 interactions via glycan‐binding proteins, or lectins, expressed on bacterial surfaces. We investigated multiple lectins expressed by bacteria: FimH from uropathogenic Escherichia coli, MsL from vaginal …