Altered mitochondrial mass and fatty acid uptake by natural killer cells in HIV-exposed uninfected children at Six years of age [AM1]

This research investigated the metabolism of key immune cells called natural killer (NK) cells in six‑year‑old children who were born to mothers living with HIV but did not become infected themselves. Although these children did not have HIV, they may have been affected by exposure to the virus and to antiretroviral therapy before or during birth. The study compared NK cell metabolism in HIV‑exposed but uninfected children with that of children who were never exposed to HIV.

The researchers measured how much fatty acid the NK cells took up and how much mitochondrial content (a sign of energy‑producing capacity) the cells had. They found that children whose mothers started HIV treatment during pregnancy had lower fatty acid uptake in certain NK cells, while those whose mothers were on treatment before conception had higher mitochondrial content in those cells compared with unexposed children. These metabolic features were linked to differences in markers associated with the NK cells’ ability to kill infected cells, suggesting that changes in metabolism may influence immune function. The findings indicate that early life exposure to HIV and its treatment may lead to long‑lasting changes in how NK cells process energy, which could affect how well children’s immune systems respond to infections. The authors note that further research is needed to understand the impact of these metabolic differences on health and immunity in children.