Direct visualization of HIV-enhancing endogenous amyloid fibrils in human semen

Naturally occurring fragments of the abundant semen proteins prostatic acid phosphatase (PAP) and semenogelins form amyloid fibrils in vitro. These fibrils boost HIV infection and may play a key role in the spread of the AIDS pandemic. However, the presence of amyloid fibrils in semen remained to be demonstrated. Here, we use state of the art confocal and electron microscopy techniques for direct imaging of amyloid fibrils in human ejaculates. We detect amyloid aggregates in all semen samples and find that they partially consist of PAP fragments, interact with HIV particles and increase viral infectivity. Our results establish semen as a body fluid that naturally contains amyloid fibrils that are exploited by HIV to promote its sexual transmission. Semen-derived peptides can form amyloid fibrils that boost HIV infection in vitro , but the existence of such fibrils in semen remained to be demonstrated. Here, the authors show that human semen contains amyloid fibrils, which can bind HIV particles and increase their infectiveness.