Restriction of SARS-CoV-2 replication in the human placenta

Kazuhide Takada; Sayaka Shimodai-Yamada; Mayumi Suzuki; Quang Duy Trinh; Chika Takano; Kaori Kawakami; Mikiko Asai-Sato; Atsushi Komatsu; Aya Okahashi; Nobuhiko Nagano; Toshiya Misawa; Kyohei Yamaguchi; Tadaki Suzuki; Kei Kawana; Ichiro Morioka; Hideto Yamada; Satoshi Hayakawa; Hiroyuki Hao; Shihoko Komine-Aizawa

doi:10.1016/j.placenta.2022.07.010

Restriction of SARS-CoV-2 replication in the human placenta

Placenta. 2022 Sep:127:73-76. doi: 10.1016/j.placenta.2022.07.010. Epub 2022 Jul 19.

Authors

Kazuhide Takada¹, Sayaka Shimodai-Yamada², Mayumi Suzuki², Quang Duy Trinh¹, Chika Takano¹, Kaori Kawakami³, Mikiko Asai-Sato³, Atsushi Komatsu³, Aya Okahashi⁴, Nobuhiko Nagano⁴, Toshiya Misawa⁵, Kyohei Yamaguchi⁶, Tadaki Suzuki⁷, Kei Kawana³, Ichiro Morioka⁴, Hideto Yamada⁸, Satoshi Hayakawa¹, Hiroyuki Hao⁹, Shihoko Komine-Aizawa¹⁰

Affiliations

¹ Division of Microbiology, Department of Pathology and Microbiology, Nihon University School of Medicine, Japan.
² Division of Human Pathology, Department of Pathology and Microbiology Nihon University School of Medicine, Japan.
³ Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nihon University School of Medicine, Japan.
⁴ Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Nihon University School of Medicine, Japan.
⁵ Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nagoya Ekisaikai Hospital, Japan.
⁶ Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Hospital Organization, Mie Chuo Medical Center, Japan.
⁷ Department of Pathology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan.
⁸ Center for Recurrent Pregnancy Loss, Teine Keijinkai Hospital Department of Pathology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan.
⁹ Division of Human Pathology, Department of Pathology and Microbiology Nihon University School of Medicine, Japan. Electronic address: hao.hiroyuki@nihon-u.ac.jp.
¹⁰ Division of Microbiology, Department of Pathology and Microbiology, Nihon University School of Medicine, Japan. Electronic address: aizawa.shihoko@nihon-u.ac.jp.

Abstract

Although SARS-CoV-2 can infect human placental tissue, vertical transmission is rare. Therefore, the placenta may function as a barrier to inhibit viral transmission to the foetus, though the mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we confirmed the presence of the SARS-CoV-2 genome in human placental tissue by in situ hybridization with antisense probes targeting the spike protein; tissue staining was much lower when using sense probes for the spike protein. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first evidence directly indicating inefficient viral replication in the SARS-CoV-2-infected placenta. Additional studies are required to reveal the detailed mechanisms.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

COVID-19*
Female
Humans
Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical
Placenta / metabolism
Pregnancy
Pregnancy Complications, Infectious*
SARS-CoV-2
Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus

Substances

Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus
spike protein, SARS-CoV-2