Dendritic cells, among them Langerhans cells, are recognized as presenters of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) to CD4 + T lymphocytes. The recruitment of Langerhans cells in the vaginal mucosa is modulated by Chemokine CC motif ligand 20 (CCL20) produced by epithelial cells of the female genital mucosa. The aim of this study was to evaluated the capacity of seminal plasma, saliva and vaginal secretions to induce the production of CCL20 by monostratified endocervical epithelium cells culture (HEC-1A), also, the relation of this production with the presence of lactoferrin and its cleavage products (G- 12-I) in seminal plasma and saliva. Cultures of HEC-1A cells were stimulated with seminal plasma, saliva and vaginal secretions of HIV-seronegative and HIV-seropositive participants, and the CCL20 production measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in its cellular supernatant. ELISA for Lf was performed on all samples, and the peptide cleavage Lf (G-12-I) observed in the samples which more and less induced the CCL20 secretion on western blot. We observed that the seminal plasma of seropositive participants were responsible for a higher stimulation of CCL20 production by HEC-1A cells, when compared to the seminal plasma of HIV-seronegative participants. Lf concentration in seminal plasma was positively related to the CCL20 production by HEC-1A cells, the higher production of CCL20 was also more associated with Lf peptide cleavage Lf (G-12-I), on western blot. Saliva stimulated CCL20 production by HEC-1A cells, and such stimulation was not correlated to Lf concentration. In conclusion, the presence of Lf in seminal plasma positively related to the production of CCL20 by HEC-1A cells, and saliva may induce the production of CCL20 in the female genital mucosa
