{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,22]],"date-time":"2026-10-22T07:23:36Z","timestamp":1792653816772,"version":"4.5.0"},"reference-count":49,"publisher":"Oxford University Press (OUP)","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,1,6]],"date-time":"2025-01-06T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1736121600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":340,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":[],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2024,2,1]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title>\n               <jats:p>T cells in the human female genital tract (FGT) are key mediators of susceptibility to and protection from infection, including HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. There is a critical need for increased understanding of the distribution and activation of T cell populations in the FGT, but current sampling methods require a healthcare provider and are expensive, limiting the ability to study these populations longitudinally. To address these challenges, we have developed a method to sample immune cells from the FGT utilizing disposable menstrual discs which are noninvasive, self-applied, and low in cost. To demonstrate reproducibility, we sampled the cervicovaginal fluid of healthy, reproductive-aged individuals using menstrual discs across 3 sequential days. Cervicovaginal fluid was processed for cervicovaginal cells, and high-parameter flow cytometry was used to characterize immune populations. We identified large numbers of live, CD45+ leukocytes, as well as distinct populations of T cells and B cells. Within the T cell compartment, activation and suppression status of T cell subsets were consistent with previous studies of the FGT utilizing current approaches, including identification of both tissue-resident and migratory populations. In addition, the T cell population structure was highly conserved across days within individuals but divergent across individuals. Our approach to sample immune cells in the FGT with menstrual discs will decrease barriers to participation and empower longitudinal sampling in future research studies.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.4049\/immunohorizons.2300105","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,2,22]],"date-time":"2024-02-22T16:58:16Z","timestamp":1708621096000},"page":"182-192","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":3,"title":["A Noninvasive Method to Sample Immune Cells in the Lower Female Genital Tract Using Menstrual Discs"],"prefix":"10.1093","volume":"8","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9832-3219","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"M Quinn","family":"Peters","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children\u2019s Research Institute , Seattle, WA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0678-4478","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Eva","family":"Domenjo-Vila","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center , Seattle, WA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Marc","family":"Carlson","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Research Scientific Computing, Enterprise Analytics, Seattle Children\u2019s Research Institute , Seattle, WA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9902-3955","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Blair","family":"Armistead","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children\u2019s Research Institute , Seattle, WA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Paul T","family":"Edlefsen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center , Seattle, WA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Melanie","family":"Gasper","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children\u2019s Research Institute , Seattle, WA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Smritee","family":"Dabee","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children\u2019s Research Institute , Seattle, WA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2039-4284","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Christopher","family":"Whidbey","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Chemistry, Seattle University , Seattle, WA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Heather B","family":"Jaspan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children\u2019s Research Institute , Seattle, WA"},{"name":"Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington , Seattle, WA"},{"name":"Department of Global Health, University of Washington , Seattle, WA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Martin","family":"Prlic","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center , Seattle, WA"},{"name":"Department of Global Health, University of Washington , Seattle, WA"},{"name":"Department of Immunology, University of Washington , Seattle, WA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0121-978X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Whitney E","family":"Harrington","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children\u2019s Research Institute , Seattle, WA"},{"name":"Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington , Seattle, WA"},{"name":"Department of Global Health, University of Washington , Seattle, WA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"286","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,2,22]]},"reference":[{"key":"2025010608550485100_r1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1116","DOI":"10.1038\/s41564-022-01177-x","article-title":"Sexually transmitted infections and female reproductive health","volume":"7","author":"Van Gerwen","year":"2022","journal-title":"Nat. Microbiol."},{"key":"2025010608550485100_r2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"74","DOI":"10.1111\/aji.12035","article-title":"Genital immunology and HIV susceptibility in young women","volume":"69","author":"Yi","year":"2013","journal-title":"Am. J. Reprod. Immunol."},{"key":"2025010608550485100_r3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"123ra25","DOI":"10.1126\/scitranslmed.3003165","article-title":"HIV-specific cytolytic CD4 T cell responses during acute HIV infection predict disease outcome","volume":"4","author":"Soghoian","year":"2012","journal-title":"Sci. Transl. Med."},{"key":"2025010608550485100_r4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e0213975","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0213975","article-title":"Defining characteristics of genital health in South African adolescent girls and young women at high risk for HIV infection","volume":"14","author":"Dabee","year":"2019","journal-title":"PLoS One"},{"key":"2025010608550485100_r5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e25766","DOI":"10.1002\/jia2.25766","article-title":"Transient association between semen exposure and biomarkers of genital inflammation in South African women at risk of HIV infection","volume":"24","author":"Jewanraj","year":"2021","journal-title":"J. Int. AIDS Soc."},{"key":"2025010608550485100_r6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"260","DOI":"10.1093\/cid\/civ298","article-title":"Genital inflammation and the risk of HIV acquisition in women","volume":"61","author":"Masson","year":"2015","journal-title":"Clin. Infect. Dis."},{"key":"2025010608550485100_r7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"194","DOI":"10.1038\/mi.2015.51","article-title":"Increased levels of inflammatory cytokines in the female reproductive tract are associated with altered expression of proteases, mucosal barrier proteins, and an influx of HIV-susceptible target cells","volume":"9","author":"Arnold","year":"2016","journal-title":"Mucosal Immunol."},{"key":"2025010608550485100_r8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e2104407118","DOI":"10.1073\/pnas.2104407118","article-title":"Circulating immunity protects the female reproductive tract from Chlamydia infection","volume":"118","author":"Labuda","year":"2021","journal-title":"Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA"},{"key":"2025010608550485100_r9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"4680","DOI":"10.1073\/pnas.1002611107","article-title":"Vaginal microbiome of reproductive-age women","volume":"108","author":"Ravel","year":"2011","journal-title":"Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 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Immunol."},{"key":"2025010608550485100_r35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e76","DOI":"10.1093\/cid\/ciz1063","article-title":"Impact of hormonal contraceptives on cervical T-helper 17 phenotype and function in adolescents: results from a randomized, crossover study comparing long-acting injectable norethisterone oenanthate (NET-EN), combined oral contraceptive pills, and combined contraceptive vaginal rings","volume":"71","author":"Konstantinus","year":"2020","journal-title":"Clin. Infect. Dis."},{"key":"2025010608550485100_r36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"726472","DOI":"10.3389\/fimmu.2021.726472","article-title":"Endocervical regulatory T cells are associated with decreased genital inflammation and lower HIV target cell abundance","volume":"12","author":"Ssemaganda","year":"2021","journal-title":"Front. 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