No abstract

Interleukin (IL)-2, interferon gamma (IFN-γ; type 1 cytokines), IL-4, and IL-10 (type 2 cytokines), and β-chemokines (MIP-1α and RANTES) production by cord blood lymphocytes (CBL) and peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) of newborns was analyzed in a cross-sectional study to examine the maturation of these components of the immune response. Immunophenotyping was performed on the same specimens. Results showed that the CD4/CD8 ratio remains stable, the percentage of natural killer cells decreases, and the number and percentage of B cells increase after birth. Analysis of cytokine production suggested that the production of all cytokines increases gradually and steadily after birth, and that IFN-γ and IL-10 production is reduced at birth whereas IL-2 and IL-4 production is not. Finally, mitogen-stimulated β-chemokine production was present at birth and increased slightly but significantly with age. These data indicate that a differential functional maturation of immune response after birth favoring a more precocious development of IL-2 (a type 1 cytokine) is present and should help to analyze the ontogeny of the immune system.

This study investigated the behavioral and psychological differences between 39 uninfected children born to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-seropositive mothers (HIV-seroreverter [SR]) and 78 children with no family history of HIV infection. Caretakers completed the Child Behavior Checklist and the Gittelman modification of the Conners' Parent's Questionnaire, whereas children completed the Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale and the Children's Depression Inventory. In 14 SR children and 28 controls, narrative task was also evaluated. The personalities of SR children, as measured by the caretaker-completed scales, revealed significantly more problems of social adjustment and attention and more externalizing symptoms than did the personalities of control children. On the child-completed scales, SR children showed significantly more anxiety and depression than did controls. Caretakers reported consistently fewer symptoms of anxiety and depression in the children than did the children themselves. Difficulties in verbal recall included aspects of depressive and anxious feelings; on the narrative task measure, SR children showed poorer skill in free verbal recall than did control children, and they simplified episodes with mixed emotions. In addition, ambiguous episodes elicited significantly more negative feelings in SR children than in controls. These findings show that there is a great necessity for assisting SR children. It will be important to determine whether these children will remain at risk for emotional consequences in their adult lives.

No abstract