title: Immunological study in newborns at risk for HIV-1 infection.
abstract: We have performed an isoelectric focusing study (IEF) to detect the presence of oligoclonal bands (OB) in serum and in 5 of the correspondent cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from 14 HIV-seropositive mothers and their newborns. CB were also searched in serum from 4 newborns every 3 months over a period of 12 months. OB were present in 8/14 sera and in 3/3 CSF obtained from the mothers; CSF OB were different from the correspondent serum indicating an intrathecal synthesis. OB were also visualized in serum, but not in CSF, from 3 newborns studied at birth: two of them died respectively at 4 and 5 months of age. One of the 4 newborns that were serially studied showed the appearance of OB at 12 months of age. A comparative study between sera obtained at the moment of delivery from the mother and her newborn showed that oligoclonal banding patterns were superimposable. Our data indicated that: 1) the IgG forming OB in the newborn's serum derive from a passive filtration from mother's serum; 2) the presence of OB seems to be an unfavourable prognostic feature in infants at risk for HIV-1 infection.
authors.affiliation: Università di Milano, Clinica Neurologica IV, IRCSS Ospedale, San Raffaele.
authors.forename: G V
authors.initials: GV
authors.lastname: Martino
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Grimaldi
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Moiola
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Castagna
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Novati
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: D'Armini-Monforte
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Massironi
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Marchisio
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tornaghi
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Principi
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000276:immunology*; D015683:Gene Products, gag / Q000097:blood*; D016655:HIV Core Protein p24; D015497:HIV-1; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007232:Infant, Newborn, Diseases / Q000276:immunology*; D012306:Risk; D014758:Viral Core Proteins / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D015683:Gene Products, gag; D016655:HIV Core Protein p24; D014758:Viral Core Proteins