title: Ex vivo cytokine responses against parvovirus B19 antigens in previously infected pregnant women.
abstract: Parvovirus B19 infection is a significant cause of fetal death. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of maternal immune status in modulating susceptibility to fetal B19 infection. Peripheral blood was obtained from pregnant women (n = 199) with no clinical evidence of recent B19 infection. Evaluation of ex vivo T cell responses from 149/199 individuals showed significantly higher interferon-gamma levels for seropositive individuals following VP1 (268 +/- 36 versus 103 +/- 19 pg/ml; P = 0.003) and VP2 (242 +/- 42 versus 91 +/- 16 pg/ml; P = 0.01) antigen stimulation. Significantly higher levels of interleukin-2 were also observed in seropositive individuals following both VP1 (P = 0.0003) and VP2 (P = 0.0005) stimulation. The observed Th1 cellular response is lower than that documented previously for non-pregnant individuals and strongly suggests that diminution of the maternal anti-viral immune response may increase susceptibility to fetal B19 infection.
authors.affiliation: Biotechnology Group, Department of Biology, National University of Ireland, Maynooth, Co. Kildare, Ireland.
authors.forename: Amanda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Corcoran
authors.forename: Bernard P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Mahon
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: McParland
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Davoren
authors.forename: Sean
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Doyle
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D002213:Capsid / Q000276:immunology*; D036022:Capsid Proteins; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear; D008875:Middle Aged; D010322:Parvoviridae Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D017992:Parvovirus / Q000276:immunology*; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D036022:Capsid Proteins; D007376:Interleukin-2; C095547:capsid protein VP1, parvovirus B19; C095548:capsid protein VP2, parvovirus B19; D007371:Interferon-gamma