SARS-CoV-2 can infect and propagate in human placenta explants.
Cell Rep Med
; 2(12): 100456, 2021 12 21.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1500334
ABSTRACT
The ongoing SARS-CoV-2 pandemic continues to lead to high morbidity and mortality. During pregnancy, severe maternal and neonatal outcomes and placental pathological changes have been described. We evaluate SARS-CoV-2 infection at the maternal-fetal interface using precision-cut slices (PCSs) of human placenta. Remarkably, exposure of placenta PCSs to SARS-CoV-2 leads to a full replication cycle with infectious virus release. Moreover, the susceptibility of placental tissue to SARS-CoV-2 replication relates to the expression levels of ACE2. Viral proteins and/or viral RNA are detected in syncytiotrophoblasts, cytotrophoblasts, villous stroma, and possibly Hofbauer cells. While SARS-CoV-2 infection of placenta PCSs does not cause a detectable cytotoxicity or a pro-inflammatory cytokine response, an upregulation of one order of magnitude of interferon type III transcripts is measured. In conclusion, our data demonstrate the capacity of SARS-CoV-2 to infect and propagate in human placenta and constitute a basis for further investigation of SARS-CoV-2 biology at the maternal-fetal interface.
Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Placenta
/
SARS-CoV-2
Type of study:
Experimental Studies
Limits:
Female
/
Humans
/
Pregnancy
Language:
English
Journal:
Cell Rep Med
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
J.xcrm.2021.100456
Similar
MEDLINE
...
LILACS
LIS