Short communication: HIV type 1 subtype C variants transmitted through the bottleneck of breastfeeding are sensitive to new generation broadly neutralizing antibodies directed against quaternary and CD4-binding site epitopes.

ABSTRACT: Mother-to-child transmission of HIV-1 subtype C can occur in utero, intrapartum, or via breast milk exposure. While not well understood, there are putative differences in the mechanisms involved with the distinct routes of vertical HIV transmission. Here, we address the question of whether specific viral characteristics are common to variants transmitted through breastfeeding that may facilitate evasion of innate or adaptive immune responses. We amplified the envelope gene (env) from the plasma of six infants during acute infection who were infected with HIV-1 subtype C through breastfeeding, and from three available matched maternal samples. We sequenced the full-length env genes in these subjects revealing heterogeneous viral populations in the mothers and homogeneous populations in the

SUBMITTER: Russell ES 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3581069 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature