T-lymphocyte maturation abnormalities in uninfected newborns and children with vertical exposure to HIV

• Published in: Blood Vol. 96; no. 12; pp. 3866 - 3871
• Main Authors: Clerici, Mario, Saresella, Marina, Colombo, Fulvia, Fossati, Sabrina, Sala, Natascia, Bricalli, Dorella, Villa, Maria Luisa, Ferrante, Pasquale, Dally, Len, Vigano', Alessandra
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC Elsevier Inc 01.12.2000; The Americain Society of Hematology
• Subjects: Adult; Age Factors; Antigens, Surface - blood; Biological and medical sciences; CD4 Antigens - blood; CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes - immunology; CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes - metabolism; Cell Differentiation - immunology; Child; Child, Preschool; Cohort Studies; Female; HIV Envelope Protein gp160 - pharmacology; HIV Infections - immunology; HIV Infections - transmission; HIV Seropositivity; Human viral diseases; Humans; Immunity, Cellular - immunology; Infant, Newborn; Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; Infectious diseases; Interferon-gamma - metabolism; Interleukin-7 - blood; Lymphocyte Activation - drug effects; Male; Medical sciences; Mitogens - pharmacology; Mothers; T-Lymphocytes - pathology; Viral diseases; Viral diseases of the lymphoid tissue and the blood. Aids; Human; Immunopathology; Retroviridae; Helper cell; AIDS; Cellular immunity; Maternal diseases; Immune deficiency; Lentivirus; Cell subpopulation; Infection; Virus; Ripening; Interleukin 7; Newborn; Mother; Immunological investigation; Viral disease; T-Lymphocyte; Suppressive cell; Human immunodeficiency virus
• ISSN: 0006-4971; 1528-0020
• DOI: 10.1182/blood.V96.12.3866

Cell-mediated immunity and T-lymphocyte maturation are impaired in HIV-infected children. These abnormalities would be detected in HIV-uninfected offspring of HIV women (seroreverters [SR]) if HIV or its soluble proteins could cross the placental barrier. Immunophenotypic analyses were performed in 20 healthy HIV-uninfected newborns of HIV-infected mothers (SR), and in 14 healthy newborns of HIV-negative women (UC). The same analyses were performed in 3 groups of older children: SR (n = 41); UC (n = 15); and HIV-infected children (n = 25). Antigen-specific cells were evaluated with ELISpot and fluorimetric analyses; IL-7 serum concentration was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results showed that in SR newborns: (1) the CD4/CD8 ratio was reduced, (2) CD4+ and CD8+ naive T-cell percentages were decreased, (3) percentage of activated CD8+ T cells was increased, and (4) percentages of CD3+/4−/8− (DN) and DN/25−/44+ were augmented. These abnormalities were partially retained in older SR children. CD4+ and CD8+ HIV-specific cells were detected in a portion of newborn SRs but not in older SRs. Serum IL-7 was augmented both in newborn and older SRs. Cell-mediated immunity and T-cell maturation are altered even in HIV-uninfected newborns of HIV-infected mothers; these abnormalities persist over time. The biologic significance of these observations and potential subsequent clinical events should be investigated in larger cohorts of seroreverters.