title: Inflammatory cytokine expression is correlated with the level of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transcripts in HIV-infected placental trophoblastic cells.
abstract: The inflammatory cytokines interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta), IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) have been associated with increased human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) expression and enhanced lymphocyte adhesion to trophoblastic cells in experimental systems. To determine if there is a correlation between the expression of these cytokines and the levels of HIV transcripts in trophoblasts of term placentas from HIV-infected women, we studied the placentae of 30 HIV-positive and 13 control gravidae. Twenty-three of the HIV-positive women received zidovudine (ZDV) as prophylaxis against HIV vertical transmission; only one of the seven women who did not receive ZDV was a transmitter, for an overall vertical transmission rate of 3.8%. Cytokine production was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in the supernatants of trophoblastic cell cultures. Additionally, cytokine transcripts and HIV gag sequences were determined by a quantitative reverse transcription-PCR assay. In general, trophoblastic cells of HIV-positive placentas expressed significantly higher levels of IL-1beta, IL-6, and TNF-alpha than those of control placentas. All placentas from HIV-positive women expressed HIV gag transcripts at either a low (<156 copies per microg of total RNA) or a high (>156 copies per microg of total RNA) level. There was a statistically significant positive association between the basal level of TNF-alpha production and the level of HIV gag transcripts of HIV-positive placental trophoblastic cells. Nevertheless, these data, coupled with a low transmission rate, would indicate that some other factors, perhaps working in concert with cytokines, are necessary for vertical transmission of HIV from mother to infant.
authors.affiliation: Division of Laboratory Medicine, University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston 77030, USA.
authors.forename: B N
authors.initials: BN
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ordonez
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Popek
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Helfgott
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Eriksen
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hammill
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kozinetz
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Doyle
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kline
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Langston
authors.forename: W T
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Shearer
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Reuben
mesh_terms: D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D006678:HIV / Q000235:genetics*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D011247:Pregnancy; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis*; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D014327:Trophoblasts / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012367:RNA, Viral