IL-10-secreting T cells from HIV-infected pregnant women downregulate HIV-1 replication: effect enhanced by antiretroviral treatment.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of pregnancy-related immune events on the HIV-1 replication and to analyze their relationship with the risk of vertical transmission.

Methods: The peripheral blood from HIV-1-infected pregnant women who controlled (G1) or not controlled (G2) their plasma viral load was drawn, and the plasma and the T cells were obtained. The T-cell cultures were activated in vitro with anti-CD3 and anti-CD28, and the proliferation and cytokine production profile were evaluated after 3 days of incubation.

Altered immunological reactivity in HIV-1-exposed uninfected neonates.

This work aimed to evaluate immune events in HIV-1-exposed uninfected neonates born from mothers who control (G1) or not (G2) the plasma viral load, using unexposed neonates as controls. Cord blood from each neonate was collected, plasma and mononuclear cells were separated and the lymphoproliferation and cytokine pattern were evaluated. The results demonstrated that the in vitro lymphoproliferation induced by polyclonal activators was higher in the G2 neonates.