HIV-1 Infection in a Small Animal Human Vaginal Xenograft Model

A limitation in advancing the study of HIV-1 is the lack of a suitable small animal model system that allows for HIV-1 infection to be monitored within human target epithelium. Studies have demonstrated that HIV-1 can infect vaginal mucosa after sexual exposure; however, the primary target cells for HIV-1 in the vagina and interactions between these target cells are not completely defined. A mouse human vaginal xenograft model that recapitulates, histologically and cytochemically, the features of the human vaginal epithelial barrier has been developed in our laboratory. Results of experiments utilizing this system to characterize HIV-1 BaL and IIIB infections within human vaginal xenografts are reported here. HIV-1 RNA, spliced transcripts, and HIV-1 p24 core antigen protein were detected in the xenografts 7 days after infection. This unique system offers a small animal model for studying HIV-1 transmission and replication within the context of natural host tissue and for examining initial events and cell populations involved in the establishment of HIV-1 infection.