Charlene D. YoungSuriya TatiengKessiri KongmanasDuriya FongmoonBrett LomenickAlexander J. YoonWongsakorn KiattiburutFederica CompostellaKym F. FaullNuttee SureeJonathan B. AngelNongnuj TanphaichitrThe Ottawa HospitalUniversità degli Studi di MilanoUniversity of Ottawa, CanadaUniversity of California, Los AngelesFaculty of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol UniversityOttawa Hospital Research InstituteChiang Mai University2020-01-272020-01-272019-07-01American Journal of Reproductive Immunology. Vol.82, No.1 (2019)16000897104674082-s2.0-85067660122https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/123456789/51051© 2019 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd Problem: Sperm are the major cells in semen. Human sperm possess a number of HIV-1 gp120 binding ligands including sulfogalactosylglycerolipid (SGG). However, the mechanisms of how sperm capture HIV-1 onto their surface are unclear. Furthermore, the ability of sperm to deliver HIV-1 to vaginal/cervical epithelial cells lining the lower female reproductive tract, as a first step in HIV-1 transmission, needs to be determined. Method of study: Sperm from healthy donors were incubated with dual-tropic HIV-1CS204 (clinical isolate), and virus capture was determined by p24 antigen ELISA. The involvement of SGG in HIV-1 capture was assessed by determining Kd values of HIV-1 gp120-SGG binding as well as computational docking of SGG to the gp120 V3 loop. The ability of sperm-associated HIV-1 to infect peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and TZM-bl indicator cells was determined. Lastly, infection of vaginal (Vk2/E6E7), ectocervical (Ect1/E6E7), and endocervical (End1/E6E7) epithelial cells mediated by HIV-1–associated sperm was evaluated. Results: Sperm were able to capture HIV-1 in a dose-dependent manner, and the capture reached a maximum within 5 minutes. Captured HIV-1, however, could be removed from sperm by Percoll-gradient centrifugation. Affinity of gp120 for SGG was substantial, implicating sperm SGG in HIV-1 capture. Sperm-associated HIV-1 could productively infect PBMCs and TZM-bl cells, and was capable of being transmitted into vaginal/cervical epithelial cells. Conclusion: Sperm are able to capture HIV-1, which remains infectious and is able to be transmitted into vaginal/cervical epithelial cells, a result indicating the importance of sperm in HIV transmission.Mahidol UniversityImmunology and MicrobiologyMedicineArticleSCOPUS10.1111/aji.13129