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Vaginal concentrations of lactic acid potently inactivate HIV

OBJECTIVES: When Lactobacillus spp. dominate the vaginal microbiota of women of reproductive age they acidify the vagina to pH <4.0 by producing ∼1% lactic acid in a nearly racemic mixture of d- and l-isomers. We determined the HIV virucidal activity of racemic lactic acid, and its d- and l-isome...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Aldunate, Muriel, Tyssen, David, Johnson, Adam, Zakir, Tasnim, Sonza, Secondo, Moench, Thomas, Cone, Richard, Tachedjian, Gilda
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: Oxford University Press 2013
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3743514/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23657804
http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/jac/dkt156
Descripción
Sumario:OBJECTIVES: When Lactobacillus spp. dominate the vaginal microbiota of women of reproductive age they acidify the vagina to pH <4.0 by producing ∼1% lactic acid in a nearly racemic mixture of d- and l-isomers. We determined the HIV virucidal activity of racemic lactic acid, and its d- and l-isomers, compared with acetic acid and acidity alone (by the addition of HCl). METHODS: HIV-1 and HIV-2 were transiently treated with acids in the absence or presence of human genital secretions at 37°C for different time intervals, then immediately neutralized and residual infectivity determined in the TZM-bl reporter cell line. RESULTS: l-lactic acid at 0.3% (w/w) was 17-fold more potent than d-lactic acid in inactivating HIV(Ba-L). Complete inactivation of different HIV-1 subtypes and HIV-2 was achieved with ≥0.4% (w/w) l-lactic acid. At a typical vaginal pH of 3.8, l-lactic acid at 1% (w/w) more potently and rapidly inactivated HIV(Ba-L) and HIV-1 transmitter/founder strains compared with 1% (w/w) acetic acid and with acidity alone, all adjusted to pH 3.8. A final concentration of 1% (w/w) l-lactic acid maximally inactivated HIV(Ba-L) in the presence of cervicovaginal secretions and seminal plasma. The anti-HIV activity of l-lactic acid was pH dependent, being abrogated at neutral pH, indicating that its virucidal activity is mediated by protonated lactic acid and not the lactate anion. CONCLUSIONS: l-lactic acid at physiological concentrations demonstrates potent HIV virucidal activity distinct from acidity alone and greater than acetic acid, suggesting a protective role in the sexual transmission of HIV.