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A new study has proved that HIV can transmit via sperm also. It has already been proved that HIV is transmitted from the infected males to their counterparts during intercourse via semen, which carries the infected leukocytes.
But Ana Ceballos from the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina, who led the research team, has said that HIV can also be transmitted to macrophages, T cells, and dendritic cells via sperm.
The HIV attaches itself to the surface of sperm and then transmits itself to DCs and other HIV targets. HIV uses heparan sulfate to attach to sperm.
After attaching itself, the virus is transmitted to the DCs in culture. The DC receptors CD4 and DC-SIGN were required for transmission, suggesting that DCs pick up the virus by binding to sperm rather than by ingesting them.
The DCs attain maturity after their interaction with the sperm, resulting in the formation of tolerance-promoting cytokines similar to interleukin-10. According to the authors, this can be a positive factor for the virus to spread.
The authors suggest that sperm might reach DCs by passing through microabrasions in the vaginal or anal lining that often form during intercourse.
The study appears in Journal of Experimental Medicine.
