Antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity and neutralizing activity in sera of HIV-1-infected mothers and their children

Abstract

SUMMARYThe prognostic and protective role of antibodies mediating cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) and neutralization was evaluated in sera of HIV-1-infected mothers and their consecutively followed children. The presence and titres of ADCC mediating and/or neutralizing antibodies in maternal sera did not predict HIV-1 infection in their respective children. No significant diflFerence in the sera from the children was seen when comparing the presence of neutralizing antibodies between the uninfected and infected children. Stratification of the infected group according to clinical status revealed differences. Only one of 24 AIDS patients had a high neutralizing titre against IIIB. Four patients had a very low titre and the remaining had no detectable neutralizing antibodies at all. In contrast, 10/17 infected non-AIDS children had neutralizing antibodies. Similarly, no significant difference was seen when comparing the presence of ADCC-mediating antibodies between the uninfected and the infected group of children. However, a significantly higher frequency of ADCC was seen in the seropositive non-AIDS children compared with the AIDS children. This study clearly shows that the presence of antibodies mediating ADCC and neutralization in infected children, 0-2 years old, is associated with a better clinical status and delayed disease progression.

Relationships between humoral factors in HIV-1-infected mothers and the occurrence of HIV infection in their infants

“…For this purpose, the relationships between the risk of vertical transinission and the presence of maternal antibodies inducing ADCC and viral neutralization on MDM and PBMC were investigated. Questions remain about the relevance of antibodies mediating viral neutralizaton and ADCC in the HIV-1 vertical transmission process, Wilh this in mind, ADCC was examined in 47 sera of HlV-1-infected mothers using PBMC as effector cells, but not PBL as reported elsewhere [18]. Here, we show that measurable ADCC fitres against HIV-1-infected cells were present in over 80% of HIV-1-infected mothers.…”

“…They may represent a way of entry and/or a reservoir for viruses in the fetus of pregnant HlV-l-infected women [17]. Otherwise, the role of antibodies mediating antibody-dependent cell-mediated cylotoxicity (ADCC) in infected mothers and their relationships to the HIV infection of the infant have been documented in only one study using purified peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) as eflector cells [18]. Therefore, our study was conducted to assess the reUuionship between ADCC, neutralizing antibodies in HlV-l-inlected mothers, and the occurrence of HIV infection in the infant.…”

Contrasting Adult and Infant Immune Responses to HIV Infection and Vaccination

“…The presence of antibodies capable of mediating neutralization or antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) in infants has been associated with better clinical outcome (46,47); however, infants infected in utero rarely develop ADCC antibodies before 12 months of age (48). Interestingly, while a delay in the development of ADCC-mediating responses is also observed in infants infected during the first 6 weeks of life, ADCC antibodies can be detected as early as 2 months postinfection when infants are infected later in life (46).…”

HIV Envelope-Specific Antibody and Vaccine Efficacy

“…Baum et al, (1996) presented strong evidence that higher titers of antibodies mediating ADCC correlated with a successful host defense against HIV-1, and Forthal et al, (2001a) reported an inverse association between ADCC activity and plasma viremia. Higher ADCC activity has also been correlated with slower disease progression in children (Ljunggren et al, 1990;Broliden et al, 1993). More recently, ADCC activity has been demonstrated in cervical lavage fluids of HIV-infected women (Battle-Miller et al, 2002), and associated with lower genital HIV RNA loads (Nag et al, 2004).…”