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bioRxiv · 10.1101/2021.05.27.446014

The legacy of maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection on the immunology of the neonate

Gee, S.·Chandiramani, M.·Seow, J.·Modestini, C.·Das, A.·Doores, K. J.·Tribe, R. M.·Gibbons, D. L.
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Abstract

Despite extensive and ongoing studies of SARS-CoV-2 and evidence that pregnant women are at increased risk of severe COVID-19, the effect of maternal infection on the developing infant remains unclear. To determine the potential impact of exposure to SARS-CoV-2 in utero on the neonate, we have assessed the immunological status of infants born to mothers with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection during gestation. No evidence of vertical transmission of SARS-CoV-2 was observed, but transfer of maternal SARS-CoV-2 specific IgG to infants was apparent, although to a lesser extent in cases of active or recent maternal infection. Infants born to mothers with recent/ongoing infection had elevated circulating pro-inflammatory cytokines and enhanced percentages of innate immune cells compared to that seen in infants born to uninfected mothers. In tandem, higher frequencies of FOXP3+ regulatory T cells and circulating IL-10 demonstrated a further nuance to the neonatal effector response. Interestingly, cytokine functionality was enhanced in infants born to mothers exposed to SARS-CoV-2 at any time during pregnancy. This indicates that maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection influences in utero priming of the fetal immune system.

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Gee, S., Chandiramani, M., Seow, J., Modestini, C., Das, A., Doores, K. J., Tribe, R. M., Gibbons, D. L.. 2021-05-28. The legacy of maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection on the immunology of the neonate. https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.05.27.446014

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