Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hôpital Foch, Suresnes, France.
University of Versailles, Versailles, France.
Front Immunol. 2022 Jul 15;13:893450. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.893450. eCollection 2022.
The COVID-19 pandemic has occurred due to infection caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, which impacts gestation and pregnancy. In SARS-CoV-2 infection, only very rare cases of vertical transmission have been reported, suggesting that fetal immune imprinting due to a maternal infection is probably a result of changes in maternal immunity. Natural killer (NK) cells are the leading maternal immune cells that act as a natural defense system to fight infections. They also play a pivotal role in the establishment and maintenance of pregnancy. While peripheral NK cells display specific features in patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 in the general population, information remains elusive in pregnant mothers and neonates. In the present study, we analyzed the characteristics of NK cells isolated from both neonatal umbilical cord blood and maternal peripheral blood close to the time of delivery. Phenotype and functions were compared in 18 healthy pregnant women and 34 COVID-19 patients during pregnancy within an ongoing infection (PCR; N = 15) or after recovery (IgGPCR; N = 19). The frequency of NK cells from infected women and their neonates was correlated with the production of inflammatory cytokines in the serum. The expression of NKG2A and NKp30, as well as degranulation of NK cells in pregnant women with ongoing infection, were both negatively correlated to estradiol level. Furthermore, NK cells from the neonates born to infected women were significantly decreased and also correlated to estradiol level. This study highlights the relationship between NK cells, inflammation, and estradiol in patients with ongoing infection, providing new insights into the impact of maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection on the neonate.
由于 SARS-CoV-2 冠状病毒引起的感染，导致了 COVID-19 大流行，这对妊娠和怀孕产生了影响。在 SARS-CoV-2 感染中，仅有极少数垂直传播的病例被报道，这表明母体感染导致的胎儿免疫印记可能是母体免疫变化的结果。自然杀伤 (NK) 细胞是主要的母体免疫细胞，作为一种天然防御系统来对抗感染。它们在妊娠的建立和维持中也起着关键作用。虽然外周 NK 细胞在普通人群中感染 SARS-CoV-2 的患者中表现出特定的特征，但在孕妇和新生儿中，信息仍然难以捉摸。在本研究中，我们分析了来自新生儿脐带血和接近分娩时的产妇外周血的 NK 细胞的特征。在正在进行的感染（PCR；N = 15）或恢复后（IgGPCR；N = 19），我们比较了 18 名健康孕妇和 34 名 COVID-19 孕妇中的 NK 细胞表型和功能。感染妇女及其新生儿的 NK 细胞频率与血清中炎症细胞因子的产生相关。正在感染的孕妇中 NK 细胞表达 NKG2A 和 NKp30 以及脱颗粒与雌二醇水平呈负相关。此外，来自感染妇女所生新生儿的 NK 细胞显著减少，且与雌二醇水平相关。这项研究强调了 NK 细胞、炎症和雌二醇在正在感染患者中的关系，为母体 SARS-CoV-2 感染对新生儿的影响提供了新的见解。
