[The role of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of HBV-infected mothers in the intrauterine infection of their fetuses].
OBJECTIVE
To study the role of the HBV-infected mothers' PBMC in intrauterine transmission of HBV to their fetuses.


METHODS
Thirty pregnant women with serum HBV DNA negative and PBMC HBV DNA positive and their newborns were used as the study group. Ten pregnant women with serum HBV negative and their infants served as the control group. HBV DNA in serum and in PBMC was detected using nested polymerase chain reaction (n-PCR). The mothers' PBMC in newborns' peripheral blood was examined using heminested-PCR.


RESULTS
Four newborns were serum HBV DNA positive and 8 newborns were HBV DNA positive in PBMC in the study group. Among them, 2 newborns were HBV DNA positive in both serum and PBMC, 6 cases were positive in PBMC only, and 2 cases were positive in serum only. Five mothers had the GSTM1 gene; and it was not detected in 3 newborns. Among the 8 newborns with HBV DNA positive in PBMC, 3 did not have the GSTM1 gene, at the same time their mothers possessed the GSTM1 gene. Mothers' PBMC were detected in all of these three newborns' peripheral blood. HBV DNA in serum and in PBMC of the control group infants were all negative.


CONCLUSIONS
HBV-infected PBMC of the mother may serve as a vector in HBV intrauterine infection.
Li
Shu-hong
SH
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Yu Huang Ding Hospital, Yantai 264000, China.
Yue
Ya-fei
YF
Zhang
Shu-lin
SL
Shi
Zi-yun
ZY
Gui
Qiao-di
QD
D000328:Adult; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000635:transmission*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000821:virology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000821:virology*
D004279:DNA, Viral