Touraine JL, Sanhadji K, Firouzi R; International Conference on AIDS.
Int Conf AIDS. 1994 Aug 7-12; 10: 307 (abstract no. PC0157).
Transplantation & Clinical Immunology Unit, INSERM U80, Hop. E. Herriot, Lyon, France.
OBJECTIVE: Pre and perinatal HIV transmission from mother to child occurs in 17% of cases in Europe and North America, 28% in Africa. Susceptibility of human fetal cells to HIV infection has been studied to help develop a preventive strategy. METHODS: Human tissues have been collected from non-infected fetuses of various ages, immediately after death. Liver, thymus, spleen and blood cells have been incubated with HIV1 or HIV2 and their infection checked by measure of RT activity, p24 release, DNA and RNA PCR, co-culture with normal CD4+ lymphocytes. Similar experiments were carried out in SCID-hu mice in vivo. RESULTS: At 9 weeks postfertilization, all fetal cells were resistant to HIV infection in our experimental conditions. After 11 weeks, they could be infected by HIV1 or HIV2. Identical cells transplanted into SCID mice to construct a SCID-hu model rendered the animals susceptible to HIV (infection of human cells present in these mice, in more than 90% of inoculated animals, whether HIV was injected in the graft itself or intravenously). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Human fetuses can be infected with HIV1 or HIV2 as soon as the end of the first trimester of gestation. Due to placenta protection, the infection actually occurs seldom before the end of the second trimester. In vitro and in vivo models are now ready for analysis of potential prophylaxis using specific antibodies or chemotherapies.
Publication Types:
Keywords:
- Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
- Africa
- Animals
- CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes
- Child
- Disease Susceptibility
- Europe
- HIV Infections
- HIV Seropositivity
- HIV-1
- HIV-2
- Hemolytic-Uremic Syndrome
- Humans
- In Vitro
- Mice
- Mice, SCID
- Models, Biological
- North America
- Severe Combined Immunodeficiency
- Thymus Gland
Other ID:
UI: 102208981
From Meeting Abstracts