CCR5 Expression Levels in HIV-Uninfected Women Receiving Hormonal Contraception

Abstract

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infectivity increases as receptor/coreceptor expression levels increase. We determined peripheral CD4, CCR5, and CXCR4 expression levels in HIV-uninfected women who used depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA; n = 32), the levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine device (LNG-IUD; n = 27), oral contraceptive pills (n = 32), or no hormonal contraception (n = 33). The use of LNG-IUD increased the proportion of CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells that expressed CCR5; increases in the magnitude of T-cell subset CCR5 expression were observed with DMPA and LNG-IUD use (P < .01 for all comparisons). LNG-IUD and, to a lesser extent, DMPA use were associated with increased peripheral T-cell CCR5 expression.

Keywords: CCR5; CD4; CXCR4; HIV-1; hormonal contraception; levonorgestrel; medroxyprogesterone acetate; oral contraceptive pills; peripheral blood mononuclear cells.

Figure 1.

Proportions of peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) and T-cell subpopulations that expressed CCR5 are shown as a function of contraceptive method. A, CD4⁺ helper T cells. B, CD8⁺ cytolytic T cells. C, CD4⁺ central memory T cells. D, CD4⁺ effector memory T cells. Data are mean values ± standard error of the mean.*P < .05 and **P < .01. Abbreviations: DMPA, depot medroxyprogesterone acetate; LNG-IUD, levonorgestrel intrauterine device; OCP, oral contraceptive pills.