A combined oral contraceptive affects mucosal SHIV susceptibility factors in a pigtail macaque (Macaca nemestrina) model. Issue 2 (23rd December 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Dietz Ostergaard, Sharon; Butler, Katherine; Ritter, Jana M.; Johnson, Ryan; Sanders, Jeanine; Powell, Nathaniel; Lathrop, George; Zaki, Sherif R.; McNicholl, Janet M.; Kersh, Ellen N.
• Is Part Of: Journal of medical primatology. Volume 44:Issue 2(2015)
• Page Start: 97
• Page End: 107
• Publication Date: 2014-12-23
• Subjects: Primates -- Periodicals; Primates -- Diseases -- Periodicals; Medicine, Experimental -- Periodicals; 616.02738
• DOI: 10.1111/jmp.12157
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0047-2565

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="jmp12157-abs-0001"> <title>Abstract</title> <sec id="jmp12157-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>Background</title> <p>Injectable hormonal contraception may increase women's risk of HIV acquisition and can affect biological risk factors in animal models of HIV. We established, for the first time, a model to investigate whether combined oral contraceptives (COC) alter SHIV susceptibility in macaques.</p> </sec> <sec id="jmp12157-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>Methods</title> <p>Seven pigtail macaques were administered a monophasic levonorgestrel (LNG)/ethinyl estradiol (EE) COC at 33% or 66% of the human dose for 60 days. Menstrual cycling, vaginal epithelial thickness, and other SHIV susceptibility factors were monitored for a mean of 18 weeks.</p> </sec> <sec id="jmp12157-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>Results</title> <p>Mean vaginal epithelial thicknesses were 290.8 μm at baseline and 186.2 μm during COC (<italic>P</italic> = 0.0141, Mann–Whitney <italic>U</italic>‐test). Vaginal pH decreased from 8.5 during treatment to 6.5 post‐treatment (0.0176 two‐tailed <italic>t</italic>‐test). Measured microflora was unchanged.</p> </sec> <sec id="jmp12157-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Conclusions</title> <p>COC caused thinning of the vaginal epithelium and vaginal pH changes, which may increase SHIV susceptibility. 0.033 mg LNG + .0066 mg EE appeared effective in suppressing ovulation.</p> </sec> </abstract>