Abstract
Influenza A virus (IAV) causes severe disease during late pregnancy, yet how maternal adaptations in host defense shape susceptibility following childbirth remains unknown. Here, we show that the postpartum period represents a state of enhanced maternal antiviral immunity. Across postpartum stages, dams infected before weaning exhibited increased survival and reduced disease following lethal IAV challenge compared with nonpregnant females. Postpartum protection was associated with enhanced viral clearance and increased pulmonary antigen-specific CD8+ T cells and IL-17A-producing gamma-delta T cells. We identify the transition into lactation as a critical determinant of this protection. Protection extended to highly pathogenic avian influenza. Together, these findings reveal that maternal antiviral immunity remains actively shaped after childbirth, establishing the postpartum lactational period as a distinct state of maternal antiviral resilience.
Competing Interest Statement
KK and PS are co-inventors on a patent relating to this work. KK and PS are co-founders of Coralie Bio, Inc. that may benefit financially from the work described in this article.
Funder Information Declared
National Institutes of Health, https://ror.org/01cwqze88, 1R01HD120540, 1F31AI191458
David and Lucile Packard Foundation, https://ror.org/032atxq54, Packard Fellowships for Science and Engineering
U.S. National Science Foundation, https://ror.org/021nxhr62, Graduate Research Fellowship Program
Howard Hughes Medical Institute, https://ror.org/006w34k90, Gilliam Fellowship Program
Blavatnik Family Foundation, Blavatnik Biomedical Accelerator at Harvard University
Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering
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