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Journal Article Epublish 9 citations

PubMed: 39328414 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1443886

Maternal immunity shapes biomarkers of germinal center development in HIV-exposed uninfected infants.

Front Immunol 15:1443886

Authors: Li Yin, Guglielmo M Venturi, Richard Barfield, Bernard M Fischer, Julie J Kim-Chang, Cliburn Chan, Kristina De Paris, Maureen M Goodenow, John W Sleasman

Affiliations

  • Molecular HIV Host Interactions Section, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, MD, United States.
  • Division of Allergy and Immunology, Department of Pediatrics, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, United States.
  • Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, United States.
  • Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States.
  • Institute of Global Health and Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States.

Abstract

Introduction

HIV-exposed uninfected (HEU) infants exhibit elevated pro-inflammatory biomarkers that persist after birth. However, comprehensive assessments of bioprofiles associated with immune regulation and development in pregnant women with HIV (PWH) and HEU infants has not been performed. Maternal immunity in PWH may be imprinted on their HEU newborns, altering immune bioprofiles during early immune development.

Methods

Cryopreserved paired plasma samples from 46 HEU infants and their mothers enrolled in PACTG 316, a clinical trial to prevent perinatal HIV-1 transmission were analyzed. PWH received antiretrovirals (ARV) and had either fully suppressed or unsuppressed viral replication. Maternal blood samples obtained during labor and infant samples at birth and 6 months were measured for 21 biomarkers associated with germinal centers (GC), macrophage activation, T-cell activation, interferon gamma (IFN-γ)-inducible chemokines, and immune regulatory cytokines using Mesoscale assays. Pregnant women without HIV (PWOH) and their HIV unexposed uninfected (HUU) newborns and non-pregnant women without HIV (NPWOH) served as reference groups. Linear regression analysis fitted for comparison among groups and adjusted for covariant(s) along with principal component analysis performed to assess differences among groups.

Results

Compared with NPWOH, PWOH displayed higher levels of GC, macrophage, and regulatory biomarkers. PWH compared to PWOH displayed elevated GC, T cell activation, and IFN-γ-inducible chemokines biomarkers at delivery. Similar to their mothers, HEU infants had elevated GC, macrophage, and IFN-γ-inducible chemokines, as well as elevated anti-inflammatory cytokines, IL-10 and IL-1RA. Across all mother/newborn dyads, multiple biomarkers positively correlated, providing further evidence that maternal inflammation imprints on newborn bioprofiles. By 6 months, many HEU biomarkers normalized to levels similar to HUU infants, but some GC and inflammatory biomarkers remained perturbed. Bioprofiles in PWH and HEU infants were similar regardless of the extent of maternal viral suppression by ARV.

Conclusions

GC immune pathways are perturbed in HEU newborns, but immune regulatory responses down regulate inflammation during early infancy, indicating a transient inflammatory effect. However, several GC biomarkers that may alter immune development remain perturbed.

MeSH

Cytokines, Interferon-Gamma, Pregnant Women, Cells, Pregnancy, Mothers, Chemokines, Parturition, Infant, Newborn, Macrophages, Germinal Center, Anti-Retroviral Agents, Biomarkers, Hiv, Immune System Diseases, Immunity, Infant

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