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Research Article: Neonatal outcomes and immune reprogramming induced by prenatal opioid and hepatitis C exposure

Date Published: 2026-10-13

Abstract:
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. 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. 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. These findings suggest that POE-driven immune disequilibrium may underlie adverse early-life outcomes and highlight monitoring and intervention targets.

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.

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