Cutting Edge: Unusual NK Cell Responses to HIV-1 Peptides Are Associated with Protection against Maternal-Infant Transmission of HIV-1

Most infants exposed to HIV-1 in utero and at delivery do not acquire infection. We show that mothers and infants who have CD3-negative cells that respond to HIV-1 peptides are substantially less likely to transmit and acquire infection, respectively. The CD3-negative cells, shown to be NK cells, re...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Journal of immunology (1950) 2009-05, Vol.182 (10), p.5914-5918
Main Authors: Tiemessen, Caroline T, Shalekoff, Sharon, Meddows-Taylor, Stephen, Schramm, Diana B, Papathanasopoulos, Maria A, Gray, Glenda E, Sherman, Gayle G, Coovadia, Ashraf H, Kuhn, Louise
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
CD3 Complex - immunology
Cytokines - metabolism
Female
Flow Cytometry
HIV Infections - transmission
HIV-1 - immunology
Humans
Infant, Newborn
Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical
Killer Cells, Natural - immunology
Polymerase Chain Reaction
Pregnancy
Pregnancy Complications, Infectious - immunology
Viral Proteins - immunology
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Summary:Most infants exposed to HIV-1 in utero and at delivery do not acquire infection. We show that mothers and infants who have CD3-negative cells that respond to HIV-1 peptides are substantially less likely to transmit and acquire infection, respectively. The CD3-negative cells, shown to be NK cells, respond with remarkable specificity and high magnitude to HIV-1 peptides from Env (envelope) and Reg (regulatory) protein regions, as measured by a whole blood intracellular cytokine assay only in the context of HIV-1 infection or exposure. These findings identify an important new measure of protective immunity to HIV-1 that highlights the importance of innate immunity in preventing the establishment of HIV-1 infection.
ISSN:0022-1767
1550-6606
DOI:10.4049/jimmunol.0900419