CD14+ cells are the main targets for HIV-1 infection in first trimester pregnancy human uterine mucosa

During the first trimester of pregnancy, HIV-1 mother-tochild transmission (MTCT) is relatively rare despite the permissivity of placental cells to cell-to-cell HIV-1 infection. The invasive placental cells interact directly with the decidual cells (cells of the maternal uterine mucosa during pregnancy) in the first months of pregnancy; however the role of the decidua in the control of HIV-1 transmission remains unknown. The decidua has a characteristic leukocyte population containing natural killer cells (dNK), antigen-presenting cells (dAPC) and T lymphocytes. The aim of this study was to determine whether decidual cells could be potential targets to HIV-1 and could thus represent a risk for HIV-1 MTCT in utero.