The Impact of the Vaginal Environment on Epithelial Barrier Function and HIV Translocation

Young women in sub-Saharan Africa are at heightened risk for HIV acquisition. This thesis examines how beneficial bacteria found in the vagina may protect women against HIV by producing a key bioactive metabolite (lactic acid). This is the first study to show that lactic acid strengthens the vaginal barrier against HIV by changing the function of epithelial cells which line the lower female reproductive tract. Lactic acid may be an effective therapeutic product for prevention of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections.