Immunological study in newborns at risk for HIV-1 infection

We have performed an isoelectric focusing study (IEF) to detect the presence of oligoclonal bands (OB) in serum and in 5 of the correspondent cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from 14 HIV-seropositive mothers and their newborns. CB were also searched in serum from 4 newborns every 3 months over a period of 12 months. OB were present in 8/14 sera and in 3/3 CSF obtained from the mothers; CSF OB were different from the correspondent serum indicating an intrathecal synthesis. OB were also visualized in serum, but not in CSF, from 3 newborns studied at birth: two of them died respectively at 4 and 5 months of age. One of the 4 newborns that were serially studied showed the appearance of OB at 12 months of age. A comparative study between sera obtained at the moment of delivery from the mother and her newborn showed that oligoclonal banding patterns were superimposable. Our data indicated that: 1) the IgG forming OB in the newborn's serum derive from a passive filtration from mother's serum; 2) the presence of OB seems to be an unfavourable prognostic feature in infants at risk for HIV-1 infection.