Presence of maternal antibodies to human immunodeficiency virus 1 envelope glycoprotein gp120 epitopes correlates with the uninfected status of children born to seropositive mothers.

Abstract

The present study demonstrates that maternal antibodies to certain epitopes of human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) proteins are associated with a defined outcome for at-risk pregnancies of HIV-infected women. An initial retrospective analysis of antibodies to synthetic peptides and recombinant proteins representing env, pol, and gag regions of HIV-1 was carried out. Sera studied were from 33 children who were born to HIV-infected mothers and whose clinical outcome was known at the time of analysis. Sera, collected within the first 6 months of life, of uninfected at-risk children were found to selectively contain maternal antibodies to certain peptides containing epitopes ofthe HIV envelope glycoprotein gpl20. To confirm the predictive role of maternal antibodies to defined HIV-1 epitopes, a prospective analysis was then performed on sera from 21 HIV-seropositive mothers and their infants, whose clinical and immunological status was then followed up for a period of at least 15 months. As expected, antibodies to the same envelope protein peptides were detected almost exclusively in sera from mothers of uninfected children. Our data suggest that antibodies against select epitopes of HIV envelope protein gpl20 might play an important role in preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV-1 infection. Accordingly, site-directed serology might be used to predict the outcome of an at-risk pregnancy of an HIV-infected woman.

Heterogeneity of linear B cell epitopes of the measles virus fusion protein reacting with late convalescent sera

“…Sequences spared by antibodies of natural immunity are potential candidates for an antibodyresistant fractionated vaccine if such sequences can induce neutralizing antibodies. In human immunodeficiency virus infections, it was shown that natural immunity does not involve all possible immunogenic peptides, leaving some capable of by-passing natural antibodies (Rossi et al, 1989). Further studies however are necessary to show, firstly, whether synthetic peptides can elicit neutralizing antibodies against measles virus F protein and, secondly, whether a peptide cocktail can be designed which is (partially) resistant to (maternal) antimeasles virus antibodies.…”

Persistence of multiple maternal genotypes of human immunodeficiency virus type I in infants infected by vertical transmission.

“…Infant A2 developed pneumococcal meningitis at 18 wk ofage. Infant A3 was evaluated at 9 wk ofage for fever of unknown origin, oral candidiasis, and lymphadenopathy, and developed Pneumocystis carinii and cytomegalovirus pneumonia at 14 Sequences of HIV-I env VI -V2-C2 region were amplified using the PCR and nested oligonucleotide primers prepared in the DNA synthesis core facility of the Interdisciplinary Center for Biotechnology Research at the University of Florida. The outer primers were ENV5 (5'-GGTAGAACAGATGCATGAGGAT-3') and ENV6 (5'-CCA-TGTGTACATTGTACTGTGCT-3'), located at nucleotides 6102-6123 and 6544-6566 in the genome of HIVLAI (27).…”

“…Mother-to-child transmission of HIV-1 is undoubtedly multifactorial, although the factors that contribute to, or inhibit, maternal transmission of HIV-1 are not completely defined ( 11 ). Because passive maternal antibody is the primary immunity that a fetus acquires, it is likely that maternal humoral immunity is one factor in vertical transmission of HIV-1 (12)(13)(14)(15). However, the specificities of maternal antibodies that can protect against HIV-1 transmission are unclear (16)(17)(18)(19)(20).…”

Antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity and neutralizing activity in sera of HIV-1-infected mothers and their children

“…Peptide and peptide ELISA A linear peptide, C53, containing 15 amino acids was used as antigen in an ELISA as described previously [20]. The peptide had sequences of the BHIO clone derived from the HIV-1/ HTLVIIIB isolate and represented the V3 region (amino acids 304-318) of gpl20.…”