What question did this study set out to answer?

To determine how maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection across different trimesters and mRNA vaccination indirectly affect gene expression in placental Hofbauer cells and cytotrophoblasts.

February 7, 2024PLoS PathogensOpen Access

Maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnancy disrupts gene expression in Hofbauer cells with limited impact on cytotrophoblasts

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Authors

EEElizabeth Ann L. EnningaMayo Clinic HQHuy Quang QuachMayo Clinic JJJin Sung JangKorean Red Cross

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Implication

Transcriptomic profiling reveals extensive gene dysregulation in placental Hofbauer cells during pregnancy, highlighting sustained immune activation.

Key Points

To determine how maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection across different trimesters and mRNA vaccination indirectly affect gene expression in placental Hofbauer cells and cytotrophoblasts.
Recruited 30 pregnant individuals categorized into six cohorts: infection in the first trimester (n=4), second trimester (n=5), third trimester (n=5), active infection at delivery (n=5), uninfected controls (n=6), and fully mRNA-vaccinated (n=5).
Isolated Hofbauer cells and cytotrophoblasts from fresh post-delivery placentae and conducted 150-bp paired-end RNA sequencing.
Identified differentially expressed genes using DESeq2 and analyzed pathway enrichment via GO, KEGG, Reactome, and protein-protein interaction networks.
Hofbauer cells from infected subjects showed extensive transcriptional disruption relative to controls, with 1,696 differentially expressed genes in the second-trimester group, 1,656 in the third trimester, and 958 in the first trimester.
Differentially expressed genes in Hofbauer cells were significantly enriched for host immune defense pathways, type I interferon signaling, neutrophil degranulation, and oxidative phosphorylation, whereas cytotrophoblasts exhibited minimal alterations (95, 23, and 8 DEGs in trimesters 1, 2, and 3, respectively).
Vaccinated subjects displayed negligible transcriptional changes (3 DEGs in Hofbauer cells and 11 DEGs in cytotrophoblasts) without inducing inflammatory signatures.

Cite This Study

Enninga et al. (2024) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6aa8081621935eeb407137ca https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1011990

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Implication

Transcriptomic profiling reveals extensive gene dysregulation in placental Hofbauer cells during pregnancy, highlighting sustained immune activation.

Maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnancy disrupts gene expression in Hofbauer cells with limited impact on cytotrophoblasts

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Key Points

Cite This Study

Maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnancy disrupts gene expression in Hofbauer cells with limited impact on cytotrophoblasts

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Key Points

Cite This Study

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