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Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
In vitro and in vivo human herpesvirus 8 infection of placenta
PLoS ONE, Volume 3, No. 12, Article e4073, Year 2008
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Description
Herpesvirus infection of placenta may be harmful in pregnancy leading to disorders in fetal growth, premature delivery, miscarriage, or major congenital abnormalities. Although a correlation between human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) infection and abortion or low birth weight in children has been suggested, and rare cases of in utero or perinatal HHV-8 transmission have been documented, no direct evidence of HHV-8 infection of placenta has yet been reported. The aim of this study was to evaluate the in vitro and in vivo susceptibility of placental cells to HHV-8 infection. Short-term infection assays were performed on placental chorionic villi isolated from term placentae. Qualitative and quantitative HHV-8 detection were performed by PCR and real-time PCR, and HHV-8 proteins were analyzed by immunohistochemistry. Term placenta samples from HHV-8-seropositive women were analyzed for the presence of HHV-8 DNA and antigens. In vitro infected histocultures showed increasing amounts of HHV-8 DNA in tissues and supernatants; cyto- and syncitiotrophoblasts, as well as endothelial cells, expressed latent and lytic viral antigens. Increased apoptotic phenomena were visualized by the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine nick end-labeling method in infected histocultures. Ex vivo, HHV-8 DNA and a latent viral antigen were detected in placenta samples from HHV-8-seropositive women. These findings demonstrate that HHV-8, like other human herpesviruses, may infect placental cells in vitro and in vivo, thus providing evidence that this phenomenon might influence vertical transmission and pregnancy outcome in HHV-8-infected women. © 2008 Di Stefano et al.
Authors & Co-Authors
Di Stefano, Maria Antonietta
Italy, Foggia
Università Degli Studi Di Foggia
Calabrò, Maria Luisa
Italy, Padua
Istituto Oncologico Veneto Iov - Irccs
Di Gangi, Iole Maria
Italy, Padua
Istituto Oncologico Veneto Iov - Irccs
Cantatore, Santina
Italy, Foggia
Università Degli Studi Di Foggia
Barbierato, Massimo
Italy, Padua
Università Degli Studi Di Padova
Bergamo, Elisa
Italy, Padua
Istituto Oncologico Veneto Iov - Irccs
Kfutwah, Anfumbom Kitu Womeyi
Cameroon, Yaounde
Centre Pasteur du Cameroun
Neri, Margherita
Italy, Foggia
Università Degli Studi Di Foggia
Chieco-Bianchi, Luigi
Italy, Padua
Università Degli Studi Di Padova
Greco, Pantaleo
Italy, Foggia
Università Degli Studi Di Foggia
Gesualdo, Loreto
Italy, Foggia
Università Degli Studi Di Foggia
Ayouba, Ahidjo
France, Montpellier
Ird Centre de Montpellier
Menu, Elisabeth
France, Paris
Institut Pasteur, Paris
Fiore, Josè Ramòn
Italy, Foggia
Università Degli Studi Di Foggia
Statistics
Citations: 36
Authors: 14
Affiliations: 6
Identifiers
Doi:
10.1371/journal.pone.0004073
e-ISSN:
19326203
Research Areas
Genetics And Genomics
Maternal And Child Health
Sexual And Reproductive Health
Study Approach
Qualitative
Quantitative
Participants Gender
Female