Sistema FMUSP-HC: Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo (FMUSP) e Hospital das Clínicas da FMUSPPEREIRA, Natalli ZaneteCARDOSO, Elaine CristinaOLIVEIRA, Luanda Mara da SilvaLIMA, Josenilson Feitosa deBRANCO, Anna Claudia Calvielli CasteloRUOCCO, Rosa Maria de Souza AveiroZUGAIB, MarceloOLIVEIRA FILHO, Joao Bosco deDUARTE, Alberto Jose da SilvaSATO, Maria Notomi2014-04-252014-04-252013PLOS ONE, v.8, n.12, article ID e84917, 11p, 20131932-6203https://observatorio.fm.usp.br/handle/OPI/5142Programs for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV have reduced the transmission rate of perinatal HIV infection and have thereby increased the number of HIV-exposed uninfected (HEU) infants. Natural immunity to HIV-1 infection in both mothers and newborns needs to be further explored. In this study, we compared the expression of antiviral restricting factors in HIV-infected pregnant mothers treated with antiretroviral therapy (ART) in pregnancy (n=23) and in cord blood (CB) (n=16), placental tissues (n=10-13) and colostrum (n=5-6) samples and compared them to expression in samples from uninfected (UN) pregnant mothers (n=21). Mononuclear cells (MNCs) were prepared from maternal and CB samples following deliveries by cesarean section. Maternal (decidua) and fetal (chorionic villus) placental tissues were obtained, and colostrum was collected 24 h after delivery. The mRNA and protein expression levels of antiviral factors were then evaluated. We observed a significant increase in the mRNA expression levels of antiviral factors in MNCs from HIV-infected mothers and CB, including the apolipoprotein B mRNA-editing enzyme 3G (A3G), A3F, tripartite motif family-5 alpha (TRIM-5 alpha), TRIM-22, myxovirus resistance protein A (MxA), stimulator of interferon (IFN) genes (STING) and IFN-beta, compared with the levels detected in uninfected (UN) mother-CB pairs. Moreover, A3G transcript and protein levels and alpha-defensin transcript levels were decreased in the decidua of HIV-infected mothers. Decreased TRIM-5 alpha protein levels in the villi and increased STING mRNA expression in both placental tissues were also observed in HIV-infected mothers compared with uninfected (UN) mothers. Additionally, colostrum cells from infected mothers showed increased tetherin and IFN-beta mRNA levels and CXCL9 protein levels. The data presented here indicate that antiviral restricting factor expression can be induced in utero in HIV-infected mothers. Future studies are warranted to determine whether this upregulation of antiviral factors during the perinatal period has a protective effect against HIV-1 infection.engopenAccessimmune-responsedisease progressionuninfected infantsinfluenza-virusediting enzymebreast-milkapobec3gcellstransmissionproteinarticleCopyright PUBLIC LIBRARY SCIENCE10.1371/journal.pone.0084917Multidisciplinary Sciences