MATERNAL IGG1 AND IGA ANTIBODY TO V3 LOOP CONSENSUS SEQUENCE AND MATERNAL-INFANT HIV-1 TRANSMISSION

Maternal-infant transmission of HIV-1 occurs in 13-40% of pregnancies. Studies on transmission of maternal immunity to HIV antigens have use d antigens from viruses not representative of clinical isolates and ha ve been conflicting. Using a consensus peptide sequence based on HIV i solates found in Haiti, we found that Haitian mothers who transmitted infection to their offspring had significantly higher mean concentrati ons of IgG1 antibodies to the V3 loop of the primary neutralising doma in of the viral envelope (gp 160) than non-transmitters (p = 0.02). Co ncentrations of IgA antibody to this domain were similar in transmitte rs and non-transmitters.