Popek EJ, Hammill HA, Lewis DE, Langston C, Kozinetz CA, Shearer WT; National Conference on Human Retroviruses and Related Infections.
Program Abstr Second Natl Conf Hum Retrovir Relat Infect Natl Conf Hum Retrovir Relat Infect 2nd 1995 Wash DC. 1995 Jan 29-Feb 2; 163.
Texas Children's Hospital, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX.
Gynecologic and pregnancy related complications in HIV+ women include increased pelvic inflammatory disease and dysfunctional uterine bleeding. We have also reported an increase in spontaneous fetal loss in HIV+ women. The endometrium has not been previously studied as a source of HIV infection; for intrauterine transmission. Because of our previous findings of heavy HIV infection of decidualized endometrium in spontaneous abortions, we studied the degree of endometrial infection in pregnant and nonpregnant uterine tissues. HIV DNA was detected by in situ hybridization in the decidua of 7/8 spontaneous abortions, in 1/2 of therapeutic abortions and 1/10 term placentas. In addition, more HIV transcription was detected from earlier gestational ages. By contrast, HIV was not detected in any of the 4 nonpregnant endometria hysterectomy specimens. This sample confirms that mononuclear cells in the decidua contain HIV and suggests that the viral burden is potentiated in early pregnancy. This may be due to the normal events of T-cell infiltration, vascular invasion by trophoblasts altering uterine blood flow, hormonal influences or cytokines. IL-3 and GM-CSF, produced by placental and decidual tissues are important in proliferation and differentiation of trophoblasts and promote placental function. GM-CSF has also been reported to promote HIV release from macrophages. These preliminary findings suggest that the degree of endometrial infection in pregnancy influences the likelihood of fetal loss possibly through the mediation of inflammatory cytokines.
Publication Types:
Keywords:
- AIDS Vaccines
- Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
- Decidua
- Endometrium
- Female
- HIV
- HIV Antigens
- HIV Core Protein p24
- HIV Infections
- HIV Seronegativity
- HIV Seropositivity
- Humans
- Macrophages
- Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
- Placenta
- Pregnancy
- Trophoblasts
- immunology
Other ID:
UI: 102213565
From Meeting Abstracts