Specific stimulation of HIV-1 replication in human placental trophoblasts by an antigen of Plasmodium falciparum

• DOI: 10.1097/qad.0b013e3282f560ee
• Publication Date: 2009-03-05T17:52:13Z
• Authors: Ahidjo Ayouba; Cyril Badaut; Anfumbom Kfutwah; Claude Cannou; Alexandre Juillerat; Stéphane Gangnard; Charlotte Behr; Odile Mercereau-P...; Graham A Bentley; Françoise Barré-S...; Elisabeth Menu
• Keywords: Replication

Epidemiological data point to an increased risk of HIV-1 mother-to-child transmission in pregnant women with malaria, by unknown mechanisms. We show here that surface binding a recombinant Plasmodium falciparum adhesin chondroitin sulphate A proteoglycans increases replication the human placental cell line BeWo, probably P. adhesin-induced long-terminal repeat-driven TNF-alpha stimulation. This suggests malaria could increase utero.