Endogenous control of inflammation characterizes pregnant women with asymptomatic or paucisymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection

ABSTRACT

In 14 pregnant women who had asymptomatic or paucisymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection, we performed a detailed 38-parameter analysis of peripheral blood mononuclear cells by mass cytometry, studied the expression of T-cell master regular genes, investigated cell proliferation and cytokine production, and measured plasma levels of 62 cytokines. No patient showed lymphopenia or gross alterations of white blood cells. Unsupervised analyses revealed that most immune parameters were similar in patients and uninfected controls, apart from an increase in low density neutrophils in SARS-CoV-2 positive women. Also, patients did not show altered plasma levels of interleukin-6 or other main inflammatory molecules, but displayed significant increases of anti-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1RA, IL-10 and IL-19, and decreased levels of IL-17, PD-L1 and D-dimer. The endogenous control of inflammation, as evidenced by plasma levels of soluble molecules, could be a strategy used during pregnancy to avoid virus-induced damages and maintain a normal immune response.