{
  "abstract": "Introduction: Prenatal opioid exposure (POE) is an escalating public health concern. However, its impact on neonatal immune development remains poorly defined. This study examined how POE, with or without maternal hepatitis C (hepatitis C virus, HCV) infection, shapes neonatal immunity.\n\nMethods: Umbilical cord blood was collected from pregnancies included uncomplicated term controls (n=38) and deliveries in patients with severe opioid use disorder on medication-assisted treatment, with (n=41) or without HCV (n=34) infection. Flow cytometry was used to characterize cell phenotype and functional response to stimulation. Single-cell RNA sequencing was used to investigate transcriptomics changes.\n\nResults: POE was associated with smaller birth size, higher rates of congenital anomalies, and longer intensive care admissions. Immune profiling showed a proinflammatory milieu, reduced circulating levels of neuroprotective factors, expanded memory/effector T and B cells, blunted T-cell responses, and markedly reduced natural killer (NK) cell frequency and cytotoxicity, especially in POE HCV+ newborns. Monocytes exhibited inflammatory reprogramming with impaired antiviral and tissue repair pathways and disrupted lymphoid–innate immune cell communication.\n\nDiscussion: These findings suggest that POE-driven immune disequilibrium may underlie adverse early-life outcomes and highlight monitoring and intervention targets.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky",
    "Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky"
  ],
  "article_type": "research article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 7,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Brianna M. Doratt"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Heather E. True"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Sheridan B. Wagner"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Delphine C. Malherbe"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Cynthia Cockerham"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "John O’Brien"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Ilhem Messaoudi"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/cftag1d5y9m58.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.3389/fimmu.2026.1794914",
  "fulltext_url": "https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13710331/",
  "id": "cftag1d5y9m58",
  "issns": [
    "1664-3224"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2026.1794914/full",
  "language": "en",
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "heading",
      "Original Research"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "2735|Prenatal Substance Exposure Effects"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7221719340",
  "pdf_url": "https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/immunology/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2026.1794914/pdf",
  "pmcid": "PMC13710331",
  "pmid": "42947855",
  "published": "2026-10-13",
  "publisher": "Frontiers Media SA",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/cftag1d5y9m58.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:19:15Z",
      "native_id": "10.3389/fimmu.2026.1794914",
      "source": "crossref",
      "url": "https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2026.1794914/full"
    },
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-31T12:21:19Z",
      "native_id": "PMC13710331",
      "source": "pmc",
      "url": "https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2026.1794914"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "openalex:2735|Prenatal Substance Exposure Effects",
      "subfield": "reproductive-child"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Neonatal outcomes and immune reprogramming induced by prenatal opioid and hepatitis C exposure",
  "title_text": "Neonatal outcomes and immune reprogramming induced by prenatal opioid and hepatitis C exposure",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-31T12:21:19Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/cftag1d5y9m58",
  "venue": "Frontiers in Immunology",
  "versions": []
}