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Updated: Jul 15, 2026
05:22
Ex vivo Culture of Human Placental Explants for the Study of Viral Transmission Across the Maternal-Fetal Interface
Published on: December 30, 2025
Placenta models for HIV-1-ART-nicotine comorbidity research: advances and remaining challenges
Sandip Godse1, Aditya N Bade2,3
1Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198, USA.
Cell Death Discovery
|July 13, 2026
Summary
Antiretroviral therapy (ART) reduces mother-to-child HIV-1 transmission, but adverse pregnancy outcomes persist. This review examines experimental placenta models to understand how HIV-1, ART, and nicotine impact placental health and birth outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Infectious Diseases
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Antiretroviral therapy (ART) significantly reduces mother-to-child HIV-1 transmission.
- Adverse pregnancy outcomes remain a concern, with placental deficits from antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) and substance use, particularly nicotine, implicated.
- The combined effects of HIV-1, ART, and nicotine on placental pathobiology and birth outcomes are not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review experimental placenta models for studying comorbid pathobiology induced by HIV-1 infection, ART, and nicotine exposure.
- To evaluate the utility and limitations of these models in investigating infection biology, pharmacokinetics, and toxico-pharmacologic mechanisms.
- To highlight challenges and necessary improvements for future research on HIV-1 and associated comorbidities in pregnancy.
Main Methods:
- Comprehensive literature review of experimental placenta models.
- Analysis of model application in studying HIV-1, ART, and nicotine effects on placental development and function.
- Evaluation of model limitations and potential for future research.
Main Results:
- Various experimental placenta models exist but are underutilized for studying complex comorbid conditions.
- Each model offers unique insights into infection, drug pharmacokinetics, and toxicity but has specific limitations.
- There is a critical need for improved models that recapitulate in vivo placental physiology for comprehensive investigation.
Conclusions:
- Experimental placenta models are essential for dissecting the complex interplay of HIV-1, ART, and nicotine on placental health and pregnancy outcomes.
- Further development and strategic application of these models are crucial for advancing our understanding and improving care for pregnant individuals with HIV-1.
- Addressing the limitations of current models is key to overcoming remaining challenges in this research area.
