Salivary human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1-specific immunoglobulin A in HIV-1-exposed infants in Kenya.
Humoral immunity, and specifically immunoglobulin A (IgA) that is directed against human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1, may contribute to protection against HIV-1 acquisition at mucosal surfaces. HIV-1-specific IgA has been detected in genital tract secretions of HIV-1-uninfected commercial sex workers with HIV-1 exposure, and may be produced in parotid saliva by infants exposed orally to HIV-1 during delivery and breastfeeding. To explore this hypothesis, we collected saliva from 145 infants aged < or = 6 months enrolled in a perinatal HIV-1 transmission study in Nairobi and from 55 control infants without HIV-1 exposure who were born to HIV-1-seronegative mothers. Among the 145 infants, 115 (79%) remained uninfected during the 12-month study period and 30 (21%) became HIV-1-infected during follow-up. Nine (8%) of the 115 HIV-1-exposed, uninfected infants had detectable levels of HIV-1 gp160-specific IgA compared with four (13%) of 30 infected infants and none of 55 control infants (P = 0.47 and P = 0.03 respectively). Among the nine HIV-1-exposed, uninfected infants with positive assays, median age was 1 month and none acquired HIV-1 during follow-up. We conclude that HIV-1-specific salivary IgA responses may be generated by very young infants exposed perinatally to maternal HIV-1. Mucosal responses would be an appropriate target for paediatric vaccines against breast milk HIV-1 transmission.
Farquhar
C
C
Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98104-2499, USA. cfarq@u.washington.edu
VanCott
T
T
Bosire
R
R
Bermudez
C
C
Mbori-Ngacha
D
D
Lohman-Payne
B
B
Nduati
R
R
Otieno
P
P
John-Stewart
G
G
D000328:Adult; D001942:Breast Feeding; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D015488:HIV Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D019302:HIV Envelope Protein gp160 / Q000276:immunology; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000635:transmission; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000032:analysis; D007071:Immunoglobulin A, Secretory / Q000032:analysis*; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; D007630:Kenya; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D012306:Risk; D012463:Saliva / Q000276:immunology*; D019562:Viral Load
D015488:HIV Antigens; D019302:HIV Envelope Protein gp160; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007071:Immunoglobulin A, Secretory; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D012367:RNA, Viral