Breast Milk-Derived Antigen-Specific CD8+ T Cells: An Extralymphoid Effector Memory Cell Population in Humans

Menstrual blood as a potential source of endometrial derived CD3+ T cells

Studies of T cell-mediated immunity in the human female genital tract have been problematic due to difficulties associated with the collection of mucosal samples. Consequently, most studies rely on biopsies from the lower female genital tract or remnant tissue from hysterectomies. Availability of samples from healthy women is limited, as most studies are carried out in women with underlying pathologies. Menstruation is the cyclical sloughing off of endometrial tissue, and thus it should be a source of endometrial cells without the need for a biopsy. We isolated and phenotyped T cells from menstrual and peripheral blood and from endometrial biopsy-derived tissue from healthy women to determine the types of T cells present in this compartment. Our data demonstrated that T cells isolated from menstrual blood are a heterogeneous population of cells with markers reminiscent of blood and mucosal cells as well as unique phenotypes not represented in either compartment. T cells isolated from menstrual blood expressed increased levels of HLA-DR, αEβ7 and CXCR4 and reduced levels of CD62L relative to peripheral blood. Menstrual blood CD4+ T cells were enriched for cells expressing both CCR7 and CD45RA, markers identifying naïve T cells and were functional as determined by antigen-specific intracellular cytokine production assays. These data may open new avenues of investigation for cell mediated immune studies involving the female reproductive tract without the need for biopsies.

CD4+ T cells spontaneously producing human immunodeficiency virus type I in breast milk from women with or without antiretroviral drugs

Background

Transmission of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) through breast-feeding may involve both cell-free and cell-associated virus. This latter viral reservoir remains, however, to be fully explored. CD4⁺ T cell-associated virus production in breast milk was therefore investigated.

Methods

The ex vivo spontaneous production of HIV-1 antigen and HIV-1 RNA by CD4⁺ T cells was measured in paired blood and breast milk samples from 15 HIV-1 infected women treated or not with antiretroviral drugs. Spontaneous antigen secreting cells (HIV-1-AgSCs) from breast milk and blood were enumerated by an ELISpot assay, and cell-associated HIV-1 RNA was quantified by real-time PCR in supernatants of CD4⁺ T cells cultured for 18 hours without addition of polyclonal activators.

Results

Among the CD4⁺ T cells present in breast milk, memory cells expressing high levels of cell-surface activation markers were predominant. Spontaneous HIV-1-AgSCs were detected and enumerated in the breast milk of all 15 women, with a median number of 13.0 and 9.5 HIV-1- AgSCs/106 CD4⁺ T cells in aviremic (n = 7) and viremic (n = 8) women, respectively. Cell- associated HIV-1 RNA was detected in cell-free supernatants from 4/7 aviremic and 5/8 viremic individuals at median levels of 190 and 245 copies/ml, respectively.

Conclusions

Activated CD4⁺ T cells producing HIV-1 are detected in the breast milk of untreated individuals as well as those receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy. This finding strongly suggests that HIV-1 replication occurs in latently infected CD4⁺ T cells that, upon spontaneous activation, revert to productively infected cells. These cells might be responsible for a residual breast milk transmission despite maternal highly active antiretroviral therapy.

The potential impact of CD4+ T cell activation and enhanced Th1/Th2 cytokine ratio on HIV-1 secretion in the lungs of individuals with advanced AIDS and active pulmonary infection

Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) provides a source of mucosal CD4(+) T cells. We investigated the physiological properties of T lymphocytes from BALF and blood and their role on the dynamic of HIV-1 replication among AIDS patients with active lung infections. Pulmonary CD4(+) T cells consist mainly of effector memory cells (CD45RO(+) and CCR7(-)) with increased expression of activation markers (HLA-DR(+) and CD69(+)) when compared to the blood counterpart. We observed a high frequency of BALF cells capable of secreting HIV-1-Ags suggesting that the local lung environment may support favorable conditions for CD4(+) T lymphocytes harboring HIV-1 DNA to initiate the viral cycle. Nevertheless, the high number of IFN-γ-producing cells and the predominance of Th1 immune response in the lung could limit the secretion of HIV-1 RNA. In conclusion, the capacity of activated CD4(+) T cells to produce HIV-1 is driven by both the level and quality of cellular activation in the lung.

Viral sequence analysis from HIV-infected mothers and infants: molecular evolution, diversity, and risk factors for mother-to-child transmission

Great progress has been made in understanding the pathogenesis, treatment, and transmission of HIV and the factors influencing the risk of mother-to-child transmission (MTCT). Many questions regarding the molecular evolution and genetic diversity of HIV in the context of MTCT remain unanswered. Further research to identify the selective factors governing which variants are transmitted, how the compartmentalization of HIV in different cells and tissues contributes to transmission, and the influence of host immunity, viral diversity, and recombination on MTCT may provide insight into new prevention strategies and the development of an effective HIV vaccine.

Robust vaccine-elicited cellular immune responses in breast milk following systemic simian immunodeficiency virus DNA prime and live virus vector boost vaccination of lactating rhesus monkeys

Breast milk transmission of HIV remains an important mode of infant HIV acquisition. Enhancement of mucosal HIV-specific immune responses in milk of HIV-infected mothers through vaccination may reduce milk virus load or protect against virus transmission in the infant gastrointestinal tract. However, the ability of HIV/SIV strategies to induce virus-specific immune responses in milk has not been studied. In this study, five uninfected, hormone-induced lactating, Mamu A*01(+) female rhesus monkey were systemically primed and boosted with rDNA and the attenuated poxvirus vector, NYVAC, containing the SIVmac239 gag-pol and envelope genes. The monkeys were boosted a second time with a recombinant Adenovirus serotype 5 vector containing matching immunogens. The vaccine-elicited immunodominant epitope-specific CD8(+) T lymphocyte response in milk was of similar or greater magnitude than that in blood and the vaginal tract but higher than that in the colon. Furthermore, the vaccine-elicited SIV Gag-specific CD4(+) and CD8(+) T lymphocyte polyfunctional cytokine responses were more robust in milk than in blood after each virus vector boost. Finally, SIV envelope-specific IgG responses were detected in milk of all monkeys after vaccination, whereas an SIV envelope-specific IgA response was only detected in one vaccinated monkey. Importantly, only limited and transient increases in the proportion of activated or CCR5-expressing CD4(+) T lymphocytes in milk occurred after vaccination. Therefore, systemic DNA prime and virus vector boost of lactating rhesus monkeys elicits potent virus-specific cellular and humoral immune responses in milk and may warrant further investigation as a strategy to impede breast milk transmission of HIV.

Restriction of HIV-1 genotypes in breast milk does not account for the population transmission genetic bottleneck that occurs following transmission

Background

Breast milk transmission of HIV-1 remains a major route of pediatric infection. Defining the characteristics of viral variants to which breastfeeding infants are exposed is important for understanding the genetic bottleneck that occurs in the majority of mother-to-child transmissions. The blood-milk epithelial barrier markedly restricts the quantity of HIV-1 in breast milk, even in the absence of antiretroviral drugs. The basis of this restriction and the genetic relationship between breast milk and blood variants are not well established.

Methodology/Principal Findings

We compared 356 HIV-1 subtype C gp160 envelope (env) gene sequences from the plasma and breast milk of 13 breastfeeding women. A trend towards lower viral population diversity and divergence in breast milk was observed, potentially indicative of clonal expansion within the breast. No differences in potential N-linked glycosylation site numbers or in gp160 variable loop amino acid lengths were identified. Genetic compartmentalization was evident in only one out of six subjects in whom contemporaneously obtained samples were studied. However, in samples that were collected 10 or more days apart, six of seven subjects were classified as having compartmentalized viral populations, highlighting the necessity of contemporaneous sampling for genetic compartmentalization studies. We found evidence of CXCR4 co-receptor using viruses in breast milk and blood in nine out of the thirteen subjects, but no evidence of preferential localization of these variants in either tissue.

Conclusions/Significance

Despite marked restriction of HIV-1 quantities in milk, our data indicate intermixing of virus between blood and breast milk. Thus, we found no evidence that a restriction in viral genotype diversity in breast milk accounts for the genetic bottleneck observed following transmission. In addition, our results highlight the rapidity of HIV-1 env evolution and the importance of sample timing in analyses of gene flow.

Very low birth weight infants born to cytomegalovirus-seropositive mothers fed with their mother's milk: a prospective study

OBJECTIVE

To assess the risk of post-natal cytomegalovirus (CMV) transmission to very low birth weight (VLBW) infants fed with their mother's fresh milk.

STUDY DESIGN

Prospective, observational study of 80 VLBW infants and their 68 mothers. Infants' urine and their own mother's fresh breast milk were tested for CMV by means of culture tests once a week until discharge. CMV in infected milk and urine were genotyped. The clinical course, laboratory findings, and outcome of infants infected with CMV at 2 years of age are reported.

RESULTS

Fifty-three mothers (78%) were CMV-seropositive at delivery. CMV was detected in the milk of 21 of 53 seropositive mothers (40%), and CMV was in the urine in 9 of 26 infants (35%) fed with CMV-positive milk. The same gN-genotype was found in milk and urine. Three infected infants <28 weeks gestational age (GA) had a mild sepsis-like illness. Five more infants had neutropenia, conjugated hyperbilirubinaemia, or both. Post-natal CMV infection occurred in 1 of 19 infants with a GA<28 weeks who were treated at birth with intravenous immunoglobulin versus 3 of 5 non-treated infants (P < .02). Symptomatic CMV infection was associated with bronchopulmonary dysplasia. No neurosensorial sequelae were found at 2 years of corrected age.

CONCLUSIONS

CMV infection via fresh human milk is mild, self-limiting, and without sequelae. Very-low GA and pre-existing chronic diseases are associated with symptomatic infection.

Human colostrum T lymphocytes and their effector cytokines actively aid the development of the newborn immune system

Colostrum contains soluble and cellular components, the latter mainly T lymphocytes. We expanded in vitro colostrum T lymphocytes (CoTL) to evaluate phenotype and capability of cytokine production. We also considered paired cord blood T-lymphocytes (CBTL) representing the newborn "virgin" immune system. CoTL showed memory phenotype while CBTL expressed mainly naïve phenotype. CoTL included a balanced percentage of helper and cytotoxic subsets. We observed higher percentages of IL-2 (p=0.003) and IL-4 (p=0.027) producing cells by helper rather than by cytotoxic T lymphocytes. The greatest percentage of IFN-gamma producing cells was in cytotoxic cells (p=0.0048), while no difference was found for IL-10. Cord blood samples consisted of a statistically significant greater percentage of helper than cytotoxic cells (p<0.001), with a low percentage of cytokine producing cells, confirming the immaturity of the newborns immune system. CBTL percentage of IL-2 producing cells was higher for helper than cytotoxic subset (p<0.001). We observed a greater percentage of IFN-gamma (p=0.001), IL-4 (p=0.003) and IL-10 (p<0.001) producing cells by cytotoxic than helper T lymphocytes. CoTL demonstrated to protect the newborn through the mothers previous immune experience and to supply active cytokines, which can help the postnatal development of both T type 1/T type 2 response.

Potent simian immunodeficiency virus-specific cellular immune responses in the breast milk of simian immunodeficiency virus-infected, lactating rhesus monkeys

Breast milk transmission of HIV is a leading cause of infant HIV/AIDS in the developing world. Remarkably, only a small minority of breastfeeding infants born to HIV-infected mothers contract HIV via breast milk exposure, raising the possibility that immune factors in the breast milk confer protection to the infants who remain uninfected. To model HIV-specific immunity in breast milk, lactation was pharmacologically induced in Mamu-A*01(+) female rhesus monkeys. The composition of lymphocyte subsets in hormone-induced lactation breast milk was found to be similar to that in natural lactation breast milk. Hormone-induced lactating monkeys were inoculated i.v. with SIVmac251 and CD8(+) T lymphocytes specific for two immunodominant SIV epitopes, Gag p11C and Tat TL8, and SIV viral load were monitored in peripheral blood and breast milk during acute infection. The breast milk viral load was 1-2 logs lower than plasma viral load through peak and set point of viremia. Surprisingly, whereas the kinetics of the SIV-specific cellular immunity in breast milk mirrored that of the blood, the peak magnitude of the SIV-specific CD8(+) T lymphocyte response in breast milk was more than twice as high as the cellular immune response in the blood. Furthermore, the appearance of the SIV-specific CD8(+) T lymphocyte response in breast milk was associated with a reduction in breast milk viral load, and this response remained higher than that in the blood after viral set point. This robust viral-specific cellular immune response in breast milk may contribute to control of breast milk virus replication.

The immunological components of human milk

Breast-feeding is generally accepted as the optimal method of feeding infants. However, we have yet to fully understand the complex mixture of bioactive compounds contained in human milk. Epidemiological studies have indicated that breast-feeding is associated with health benefits in the infant for many immune-related conditions. Breast milk contains various antimicrobial substances, factors that promote immune development, constituents that promote tolerance/priming of the infant immune system, as well as anti-inflammatory components. This chapter identifies and discusses the immunological compounds in human milk and the available evidence for their effect on the immune system of the infant. Current feeding regimens recommended for infants are based primarily on the current understanding of the nutritional requirements of the neonate, but perhaps will be modified to reflect the consequences on immune function both immediate and later in life.

Inhibition of HIV-1 transmission in trans from dendritic cells to CD4+ T lymphocytes by natural antibodies to the CRD domain of DC-SIGN purified from breast milk and intravenous immunoglobulins

The present study demonstrates that human breast milk and normal human polyclonal immunoglobulins purified from plasma [intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIg)] contain functional natural immunoglobulin A (IgA) and IgG antibodies directed against the carbohydrate recognition domain (CRD) domain of the dendritic cell-specific intercellular adhesion molecule-3-grabbing non-integrin (DC-SIGN) molecule, which is involved in the binding of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 to dendritic cells (DCs). Antibodies to DC-SIGN CRD were affinity-purified on a matrix to which a synthetic peptide corresponding to the N-terminal CRD domain (amino-acid 342-amino-acid 371) had been coupled. The affinity-purified antibodies bound to the DC-SIGN peptide and to the native DC-SIGN molecule expressed by HeLa DC-SIGN+ cells and immature monocyte-derived dendritic cells (iMDDCs), in a specific and dose-dependent manner. At an optimal dose of 200 microg/ml, natural antibodies to DC-SIGN CRD peptide purified from breast milk and IVIg stained 25 and 20% of HeLa DC-SIGN+ cells and 32 and 12% of iMDDCs, respectively. Anti-DC-SIGN CRD peptide antibodies inhibited the attachment of virus to HeLa DC-SIGN by up to 78% and the attachment to iMDDCs by only 20%. Both breast milk- and IVIg-derived natural antibodies to the CRD peptide inhibited 60% of the transmission in trans of HIV-1(JRCSF), an R5-tropic strain, from iMDDCs to CD4+ T lymphocytes. Taken together, these observations suggest that the attachment of HIV to DCs and transmission in trans to autologous CD4+ T lymphocytes occur through two independent mechanisms. Our data support a role of natural antibodies to DC-SIGN in the modulation of postnatal HIV transmission through breast-feeding and in the natural host defence against HIV-1 in infected individuals.

Maternal breast-milk and intestinal bifidobacteria guide the compositional development of the Bifidobacterium microbiota in infants at risk of allergic disease

BACKGROUND

The sources and the impact of maternal bacteria on the initial inoculum of the intestinal microflora of newborn infants remain elusive.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the association between maternal breast-milk and fecal bifidobacteria and infants' fecal bifidobacteria.

METHODS

Sixty-one mother-infant pairs were included, special emphasis being placed on the maternal allergic status. Bifidobacteria were analysed by a direct PCR method in fecal samples from mothers at 30-35 weeks of gestation and from infants at 1 month of age and from breast-milk samples 1 month post-partum.

RESULTS

Fecal Bifidobacterium adolescentis and Bifidobacterium bifidum colonization frequencies and counts among mother-infant pairs correlated significantly (P=0.005 and 0.02 for frequencies, respectively, and P=0.002 and 0.01 for counts, respectively). Only infants of allergic, atopic mothers were colonized with B. adolescentis. Each of the breast-milk samples contained bifidobacteria [median 1.4 x 10(3) bacterial cells/mL; interquartile range (IQR) 48.7-3.8 x 10(3)]. Bifidobacterium longum was the most frequently detected species in breast-milk. Allergic mothers had significantly lower amounts of bifidobacteria in breast-milk compared with non-allergic mothers [median 1.3 x 10(3) bacterial cells/mL (IQR 22.4-3.0 x 10(3)) vs. 5.6 x 10(3) bacterial cells/mL (1.8 x 10(3)-1.8 x 10(4)), respectively, (P=0.004)], and their infants had concurrently lower counts of bifidobacteria in feces [3.9 x 10(8) bacterial cells/g (IQR 6.5 x 10(6)-1.5 x 10(9)) in infants of allergic mothers, vs. 2.5 x 10(9) bacterial cells/g (6.5 x 10(8)-3.2 x 10(10)) in infants of non-allergic mothers, P=0.013].

CONCLUSIONS

Breast-milk contains significant numbers of bifidobacteria and the maternal allergic status further deranges the counts of bifidobacteria in breast-milk. Maternal fecal and breast-milk bifidobacterial counts impacted on the infants' fecal Bifidobacterium levels. Breast-milk bacteria should thus be considered an important source of bacteria in the establishment of infantile intestinal microbiota.

Acquisition of human cytomegalovirus infection in infants via breast milk: natural immunization or cause for concern?

Since the recognition in the 1960s that human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infections could be transmitted by breast milk, there has been relatively little attention paid to the potential medical consequences of such infections. Indeed, since HCMV infections acquired by healthy newborn infants appear to be largely asymptomatic in nature, there has been no real incentive to develop or implement strategies to prevent transmission by this route. However, recent studies have identified a significant risk for low-birth weight, premature infants for the development of HCMV disease following acquisition of infection via breast milk. Such infections may cause considerable short-term morbidity and, in some cases, severe, life-threatening illness. There is little consensus amongst neonatologists on the approach to prevention and management of such infections. This review summarises the epidemiology and natural history of HCMV infections acquired via breast milk, and outlines available strategies for prevention and management of such infections, as well as opportunities for future clinical research on this understudied topic.

Cytomegalovirus in human breast milk: risk to the premature infant

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) can be transmitted through breast milk to neonates. Although healthy full-term infants rarely develop symptoms of CMV infection; premature or low-birth-weight infants can experience symptomatic infection that is occasionally severe. There is limited information on the long-term effects of postnatal CMV infection in premature infants, suggesting that these infants do not develop cognitive function delays or hearing loss, although those with intrapartum infection do. Readily available methods of treating breast milk to inactivate the CMV either diminish the immunologic and nutritive benefits of breast milk or incompletely inactivate the virus. This review considers the data on measuring CMV in breast milk, the recent clinical studies on CMV transmission via breast milk, reported methods of inactivation of CMV in breast milk, and immunologic factors that may play a role in transmission. CMV-IVIG treatment needs further evaluation but appears promising. Recommendations are made to help address the issue of CMV transmission to premature infants in clinical practice in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).