Abstract

Background: Sexually transmitted diseases (STIs) are major causes of morbidity in women. The mechanisms involved in establishment of genital mucosal infection are poorly defined.

Objective: To investigate changes in cervical epithelial (CE) CD45+ cell subpopulations in women with microscopic evidence of cervicitis (n=9) and those without (n=12).

Methods: CE samples were obtained using cytobrush including matched venous blood. CE and peripheral blood (PB) mononuclear cells were analysed by flow cytometry for CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, CD14+,CD19+, and HLA-DR+ expression.

Results: Women with cervicitis had increased CE macrophages compared with those without (p<0.05). MHC class II+ cells were predominant in all cervical samples. Considerably fewer B lymphocytes were found in cervical samples in both groups of women. No changes were observed in cervical T lymphocyte subsets. However, a relative CD8+ lymphocytosis in PB was noted in women with cervicitis.

Conclusion: The increased numbers of CE macrophages in women with cervicitis may have important implications for pathogenesis of STIs including human immunodeficiency virus infection.