title: Differential expression of human beta defensins in placenta and detection of allelic variants in the DEFB1 gene from HIV-1 positive mothers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Low infection rates in neonates born to HIV-1-seropositive mothers highlight the existence of natural defense mechanisms in the maternal-fetal interface. Human beta defensins (HBDs) inhibit HIV-1 replication in vitro and their variants are associated with HIV-1 resistance/susceptibility.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Levels of HBD mRNA expression in placentas were obtained from seropositive and healthy mothers to determine whether HIV-1 infection induces anti-viral factors. Materials and methods. HBD-1, -2 and -3 transcripts were quantified by real time RT-PCR, and A692G/G1654A/A1836G variants in the DEFB1 gene were evaluated by sequencing.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Transcript levels of HBD-1 were significantly higher, and those of HBD-3 were lower in placenta from seropositive mothers compared to controls. Additionally, simultaneous presence of the A692G A/G and A1836G G/G genotypes was associated with high expression of HBD-1 in all populations and the A692G variant in babies born to seropositive mothers was in Hardy-Weinberg disequilibrium.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Contrasting results in levels of HBDs were probably due to viral stimuli and suggest that HIV-1 induce a differential expression of HBDs in placenta and these proteins could be involved in protecting against HIV-1 at least early in pregnancy. However, it was not possible to associate these findings directly with protection against HIV-1 vertical transmission since none of the newborn infants became infected.
authors.affiliation: Grupo Inmunovirología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Antioquia.
authors.forename: Wbeimar
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Aguilar-Jiménez
authors.forename: Wildeman
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zapata
authors.forename: María Teresa
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Rugeles
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000483:Alleles; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000378:metabolism*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology*; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn / Q000276:immunology; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; D010920:Placenta / Q000378:metabolism*; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D055815:Young Adult; D023083:beta-Defensins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; C406407:DEFB1 protein, human; D006680:HLA Antigens; D023083:beta-Defensins