Dynamics of maternal IgG antibody decay and HIV-specific antibody synthesis in infants born to seropositive mothers. The NYC Perinatal HIV Transmission Study Group.
We have used a human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-specific IgG-Fc capture enzyme immunoassay (IgG-CEIA) to elucidate the dynamics of HIV-1 maternal antibody decay and de novo synthesis of HIV-1 antibodies in infants. Two hundred and thirty-nine serum specimens from 77 infants were analyzed by the IgG-CEIA and by two different conventional EIAs. With the IgG-CEIA, IgG was captured by an anti-human IgG monoclonal antibody (3C8) that reacts with all subclasses and was detected by recombinant HIV-1 envelope protein (CBre3)-peroxidase conjugate. Unlike the conventional EIAs, the IgG-CEIA showed a rapid decay of HIV-1-specific antibody in uninfected infants, with decline to background levels by 6 months (T1/2 [half-life] = 28-30 days). All 69 specimens collected from 39 uninfected infants between 6 and 15 months of age were negative by IgG-CEIA. However, HIV-1 antibodies remained high in infected infants; 20/22 infants (90.9%) with specimens between the ages of 6 to 23 months were positive by IgG-CEIA. Subtracting mean IgG-CEIA optical density values of seroreverting infants from those of HIV-1-infected infants in corresponding age groups provided a model for seroconversion in infected infants, with detectable IgG antibody synthesis starting about 3 months after birth. The IgG-CEIA may be a simple and important tool for early diagnosis of HIV-1 infection in infants at 6 months of age.
Parekh
B S
BS
Division of HIV/AIDS, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia 30330.
Shaffer
N
N
Coughlin
R
R
Hung
C H
CH
Krasinski
K
K
Abrams
E
E
Bamji
M
M
Thomas
P
P
Hutson
D
D
Schochetman
G
G
D005260:Female; D015483:HIV Antibodies / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000151:congenital / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007112:Immunity, Maternally-Acquired; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000378:metabolism*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000276:immunology*; D011446:Prospective Studies
D015483:HIV Antibodies; D007074:Immunoglobulin G