Study of Immunity at the Genital Mucosa of HIV-1 Infected and Healthy Women

Current knowledge on mucosa, especially genitals in women, however, remain inadequate, especially regarding defense mechanisms and possibilities for a vaccine to induce an active immune response at mucosal front door of the most pathogens. Induction of mucosal immune response has emerged as a research priority research prophylactic vaccine.The development of strategies to prevent sexual transmission of HIV-1 depends in part on an understanding of specific and innate immune mechanisms involved in this transmission. MUCOVAC is a feasibility study of the immunological and transcriptomic analysis of cervicovaginal samples of women infected or not infected with HIV-1. We also assess tolerance samples taken by cytobrush and cervicovaginal washings, efficiency and reproducibility of the sample by cytobrush and cervicovaginal lavage for transcriptomic analysis, measurement of cytokines by Luminex technology, quantification of IgG and IgA. In blood we will determine the phenotype of B cells and Tfh cell frequency (T follicular helper) and quantification of serum immunoglobulins and will perform a transcriptomic analysis of blood cells. Finally we will make correlations with the observed responses at the genital mucosa. This pathophysiological exploratory study will be performed in 20 women infected with HIV-1 and 20 healthy women recruited from two centers in France and will include a screening visit and two visits M0 and M1 during which mucous and blood samples will be performed. The results of the study will capitalize skills in biology mucosa, using powerful tools to assess mucosal immunological parameters.