Exposure to Human Immunodeficiency Virus Is Associated With Altered Composition of Maternal Microchimeric T Cells in Infants.

Armistead, Blair; Peters, M Quinn; Houck, John; Carlson, Marc; Balle, Christina; Mulugeta, Nolawit; Gray, Clive M; Jaspan, Heather B et al. · J Infect Dis · 2025

cross_sectional · Level IV

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Abstract

Human immunodeficiency virus-exposed but uninfected infants (iHEU) display altered immunity and are at increased risk of infection. We previously reported that iHEU have decreased maternal microchimerism (MMc)-maternal cells transferred to the offspring in utero/during breastfeeding. We quantified MMc in T-cell subpopulations in iHEU and HIV-unexposed infants (iHU) to determine whether a selective deficiency in MMc contributes to altered cellular immunity. Across all infants, MMc levels were highest in CD8+ T cells; however, the level of CD8+ T-cell MMc was lower in iHEU versus iHU. In limited functional studies, we did not identify cytomegalovirus-specific MMc during infant primary infection.

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