Vertical Transmission of SARS-CoV-2–Specific Antibodies and Cytokine Profiles in Pregnancy

Jonathon M. Monroe; Huy Quang Quach; Sohan Punia; Elizabeth Ann L. Enninga; Yaroslav Fedyshyn; James H. Girsch; Bohdana Fedyshyn; Maureen Lemens; Dawn Littlefield; Supriya Behl; Elise Sintim-Aboagye; Maria C. Mejia Plazas; Satoko Yamaoka; Hideki Ebihara; Akhilesh Pandey; Cristina Correia; Choong Yong Ung; Hu Li; Robert Vassallo; Jie Sun; Erica L. Johnson; Janet E. Olson; Elitza S. Theel; Andrew D. Badley; Richard B. Kennedy; Regan N. Theiler; Rana Chakraborty

doi:10.1093/infdis/jiad399

Vertical Transmission of SARS-CoV-2–Specific Antibodies and Cytokine Profiles in Pregnancy

Jonathon M. Monroe, Huy Quang Quach, Sohan Punia, Elizabeth Ann L. Enninga, Yaroslav Fedyshyn, James H. Girsch, Bohdana Fedyshyn, Maureen Lemens, Dawn Littlefield, Supriya Behl, Elise Sintim-Aboagye, Maria C. Mejia Plazas, Satoko Yamaoka, Hideki Ebihara, Akhilesh Pandey, Cristina Correia, Choong Yong Ung, Hu Li, Robert Vassallo, Jie SunErica L. Johnson, Janet E. Olson, Elitza S. Theel, Andrew D. Badley, Richard B. Kennedy, Regan N. Theiler, Rana Chakraborty

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Despite intensive characterization of immune responses after COVID-19 infection and vaccination, research examining protective correlates of vertical transmission in pregnancy are limited. Herein, we profiled humoral and cellular characteristics in pregnant women infected or vaccinated at different trimesters and in their corresponding newborns. We noted a significant correlation between spike S1–specific IgG antibody and its RBD-ACE2 blocking activity (receptor-binding domain–human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2) in maternal and cord plasma (P < .001, R > 0.90). Blocking activity of spike S1–specific IgG was significantly higher in pregnant women infected during the third trimester than the first and second trimesters. Elevated levels of 28 cytokines/chemokines, mainly proinflammatory, were noted in maternal plasma with infection at delivery, while cord plasma with maternal infection 2 weeks before delivery exhibited the emergence of anti-inflammatory cytokines. Our data support vertical transmission of protective SARS-CoV-2–specific antibodies. This vertical antibody transmission and the presence of anti-inflammatory cytokines in cord blood may offset adverse outcomes of inflammation in exposed newborns.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	473-484
Number of pages	12
Journal	Journal of Infectious Diseases
Volume	229
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1093/infdis/jiad399
State	Published - Feb 15 2024

Keywords

SARS-CoV-2
antibody
cytokines
placental transmission
pregnancy

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General Medicine

Access to Document

10.1093/infdis/jiad399

Cite this

Monroe, J. M., Quach, H. Q., Punia, S., Enninga, E. A. L., Fedyshyn, Y., Girsch, J. H., Fedyshyn, B., Lemens, M., Littlefield, D., Behl, S., Sintim-Aboagye, E., Mejia Plazas, M. C., Yamaoka, S., Ebihara, H., Pandey, A., Correia, C., Ung, C. Y., Li, H., Vassallo, R., ... Chakraborty, R. (2024). Vertical Transmission of SARS-CoV-2–Specific Antibodies and Cytokine Profiles in Pregnancy. Journal of Infectious Diseases, 229(2), 473-484. https://doi.org/10.1093/infdis/jiad399

Monroe, JM, Quach, HQ, Punia, S, Enninga, EAL, Fedyshyn, Y, Girsch, JH, Fedyshyn, B, Lemens, M, Littlefield, D, Behl, S, Sintim-Aboagye, E, Mejia Plazas, MC, Yamaoka, S, Ebihara, H, Pandey, A, Correia, C, Ung, CY, Li, H, Vassallo, R, Sun, J, Johnson, EL, Olson, JE, Theel, ES, Badley, AD , Kennedy, RB, Theiler, RN & Chakraborty, R 2024, 'Vertical Transmission of SARS-CoV-2–Specific Antibodies and Cytokine Profiles in Pregnancy', Journal of Infectious Diseases, vol. 229, no. 2, pp. 473-484. https://doi.org/10.1093/infdis/jiad399

@article{33be3d5354734ea998af2ef48d90dbf6,

title = "Vertical Transmission of SARS-CoV-2–Specific Antibodies and Cytokine Profiles in Pregnancy",

abstract = "Despite intensive characterization of immune responses after COVID-19 infection and vaccination, research examining protective correlates of vertical transmission in pregnancy are limited. Herein, we profiled humoral and cellular characteristics in pregnant women infected or vaccinated at different trimesters and in their corresponding newborns. We noted a significant correlation between spike S1–specific IgG antibody and its RBD-ACE2 blocking activity (receptor-binding domain–human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2) in maternal and cord plasma (P < .001, R > 0.90). Blocking activity of spike S1–specific IgG was significantly higher in pregnant women infected during the third trimester than the first and second trimesters. Elevated levels of 28 cytokines/chemokines, mainly proinflammatory, were noted in maternal plasma with infection at delivery, while cord plasma with maternal infection 2 weeks before delivery exhibited the emergence of anti-inflammatory cytokines. Our data support vertical transmission of protective SARS-CoV-2–specific antibodies. This vertical antibody transmission and the presence of anti-inflammatory cytokines in cord blood may offset adverse outcomes of inflammation in exposed newborns.",

keywords = "SARS-CoV-2, antibody, cytokines, placental transmission, pregnancy",

author = "Monroe, {Jonathon M.} and Quach, {Huy Quang} and Sohan Punia and Enninga, {Elizabeth Ann L.} and Yaroslav Fedyshyn and Girsch, {James H.} and Bohdana Fedyshyn and Maureen Lemens and Dawn Littlefield and Supriya Behl and Elise Sintim-Aboagye and {Mejia Plazas}, {Maria C.} and Satoko Yamaoka and Hideki Ebihara and Akhilesh Pandey and Cristina Correia and Ung, {Choong Yong} and Hu Li and Robert Vassallo and Jie Sun and Johnson, {Erica L.} and Olson, {Janet E.} and Theel, {Elitza S.} and Badley, {Andrew D.} and Kennedy, {Richard B.} and Theiler, {Regan N.} and Rana Chakraborty",

year = "2024",

month = feb,

day = "15",

doi = "10.1093/infdis/jiad399",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "229",

pages = "473--484",

journal = "Journal of Infectious Diseases",

issn = "0022-1899",

publisher = "Oxford University Press",

number = "2",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Vertical Transmission of SARS-CoV-2–Specific Antibodies and Cytokine Profiles in Pregnancy

AU - Monroe, Jonathon M.

AU - Quach, Huy Quang

AU - Punia, Sohan

AU - Enninga, Elizabeth Ann L.

AU - Fedyshyn, Yaroslav

AU - Girsch, James H.

AU - Fedyshyn, Bohdana

AU - Lemens, Maureen

AU - Littlefield, Dawn

AU - Behl, Supriya

AU - Sintim-Aboagye, Elise

AU - Mejia Plazas, Maria C.

AU - Yamaoka, Satoko

AU - Ebihara, Hideki

AU - Pandey, Akhilesh

AU - Correia, Cristina

AU - Ung, Choong Yong

AU - Li, Hu

AU - Vassallo, Robert

AU - Sun, Jie

AU - Johnson, Erica L.

AU - Olson, Janet E.

AU - Theel, Elitza S.

AU - Badley, Andrew D.

AU - Kennedy, Richard B.

AU - Theiler, Regan N.

AU - Chakraborty, Rana

PY - 2024/2/15

Y1 - 2024/2/15

N2 - Despite intensive characterization of immune responses after COVID-19 infection and vaccination, research examining protective correlates of vertical transmission in pregnancy are limited. Herein, we profiled humoral and cellular characteristics in pregnant women infected or vaccinated at different trimesters and in their corresponding newborns. We noted a significant correlation between spike S1–specific IgG antibody and its RBD-ACE2 blocking activity (receptor-binding domain–human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2) in maternal and cord plasma (P < .001, R > 0.90). Blocking activity of spike S1–specific IgG was significantly higher in pregnant women infected during the third trimester than the first and second trimesters. Elevated levels of 28 cytokines/chemokines, mainly proinflammatory, were noted in maternal plasma with infection at delivery, while cord plasma with maternal infection 2 weeks before delivery exhibited the emergence of anti-inflammatory cytokines. Our data support vertical transmission of protective SARS-CoV-2–specific antibodies. This vertical antibody transmission and the presence of anti-inflammatory cytokines in cord blood may offset adverse outcomes of inflammation in exposed newborns.

AB - Despite intensive characterization of immune responses after COVID-19 infection and vaccination, research examining protective correlates of vertical transmission in pregnancy are limited. Herein, we profiled humoral and cellular characteristics in pregnant women infected or vaccinated at different trimesters and in their corresponding newborns. We noted a significant correlation between spike S1–specific IgG antibody and its RBD-ACE2 blocking activity (receptor-binding domain–human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2) in maternal and cord plasma (P < .001, R > 0.90). Blocking activity of spike S1–specific IgG was significantly higher in pregnant women infected during the third trimester than the first and second trimesters. Elevated levels of 28 cytokines/chemokines, mainly proinflammatory, were noted in maternal plasma with infection at delivery, while cord plasma with maternal infection 2 weeks before delivery exhibited the emergence of anti-inflammatory cytokines. Our data support vertical transmission of protective SARS-CoV-2–specific antibodies. This vertical antibody transmission and the presence of anti-inflammatory cytokines in cord blood may offset adverse outcomes of inflammation in exposed newborns.

KW - SARS-CoV-2

KW - antibody

KW - cytokines

KW - placental transmission

KW - pregnancy

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85184605311&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85184605311&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1093/infdis/jiad399

DO - 10.1093/infdis/jiad399

M3 - Article

C2 - 37786979

AN - SCOPUS:85184605311

SN - 0022-1899

VL - 229

SP - 473

EP - 484

JO - Journal of Infectious Diseases

JF - Journal of Infectious Diseases

IS - 2

ER -

Vertical Transmission of SARS-CoV-2–Specific Antibodies and Cytokine Profiles in Pregnancy

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this