Alliance for Pandemic Preparedness

January 27, 2021

SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Pregnancy Is Associated with Robust Inflammatory Response at the Maternal-Fetal Interface

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[Pre-print, not per-reviewed] A study of SARS-CoV-2 in pregnant women showed that in pregnant women with COVID-19, ACE2 is widely expressed in the placenta at term compared to low levels of expression in noninfected mothers. Despite the in vitro susceptibility of cytotrophoblasts (a type of placental cell) to SARS-CoV-2 infection, viral RNA was detected in the placentas of only around 13% of women in the cohort, including those with severe disease and high viral loads. Bulk transcriptomic analysis of the placenta demonstrated clear differences in the expression of genes associated with immune responses, which the authors suggested could represent immune activation at the placenta even in the absence of detectable virus. However, only minor histological differences (an increase intervillous fibrin in the placentas from COVID-infected women) were observed when comparing the placentas from COVID-infected women to controls.  

Lu-Culligan et al. (Jan 26, 2021). SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Pregnancy Is Associated with Robust Inflammatory Response at the Maternal-Fetal Interface. Pre-print downloaded January 27 from https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.01.25.21250452