1. Elevated Blood Mitochondrial DNA in Early Life Among Uninfected Children Exposed to Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Combination Antiretroviral Therapy in utero.
- Author
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Ajaykumar, Abhinav, Zhu, Mayanne, Kakkar, Fatima, Brophy, Jason, Bitnun, Ari, Alimenti, Ariane, Soudeyns, Hugo, Saberi, Sara, Albert, Arianne Y K, Money, Deborah M, Côté, Hélène C F, CARMA, CIHR Team in Cellular Aging and HIV Comorbidities in Women and Children (Children and Women: AntiRetrovirals and Markers of Aging, and CIHR Team in Cellular Aging and HIV Comorbidities in Women and Children (Children and Women: AntiRetrovirals and Markers of Aging [CARMA])
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MITOCHONDRIAL DNA ,HIV ,ANTIRETROVIRAL agents ,HIV infection transmission ,HIV prevention ,HIV infections ,ANTI-HIV agents ,RESEARCH ,DNA ,COMMUNICABLE diseases ,CROSS-sectional method ,RESEARCH methodology ,MEDICAL cooperation ,EVALUATION research ,PRENATAL exposure delayed effects ,HIGHLY active antiretroviral therapy ,COMPARATIVE studies ,PREGNANCY complications ,RESEARCH funding ,LONGITUDINAL method ,VERTICAL transmission (Communicable diseases) - Abstract
Background: Combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) during pregnancy prevents vertical transmission, but many antiretrovirals cross the placenta and several can affect mitochondria. Exposure to maternal human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and/or cART could have long-term effects on children who are HIV exposed and uninfected (CHEU). Our objective was to compare blood mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) content in CHEU and children who are HIV unexposed and uninfected (CHUU), at birth and in early life.Methods: Whole-blood mtDNA content at birth and in early life (age 0-3 years) was compared cross-sectionally between CHEU and CHUU. Longitudinal changes in mtDNA content among CHEU was also evaluated.Results: At birth, CHEU status and younger gestational age were associated with higher mtDNA content. These remained independently associated with mtDNA content in multivariable analyses, whether considering all infants, or only those born at term. Longitudinally, CHEU mtDNA levels remained unchanged during the first 6 months of life, and gradually declined thereafter. A separate age- and sex-matched cross-sectional analysis (in 214 CHEU and 214 CHUU) illustrates that the difference in mtDNA between the groups remains detectable throughout the first 3 years of life.Conclusion: The persistently elevated blood mtDNA content observed among CHEU represents a long-term effect, possibly resulting from in utero stresses related to maternal HIV and/or cART. The clinical impact of altered mtDNA levels is unclear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]- Published
- 2021
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