Although extensive studies have been carried out on severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and evidence exists that pregnant women are at elevated risk of severe COVID-19, the impact of maternal infection on the fetus is not clear. The majority of pregnant women infected with SARS-CoV-2 are asymptomatic or experience mild symptoms.

However, some pregnant women in the third trimester with SARS-CoV-2 infection seem to be at increased risk of requiring hospitalization and ICU admission. The rates of maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection also increased during the second wave of the pandemic. A national UK surveillance study reported that neonatal SARS-CoV-2 infection is not common even in infants born to mothers with perinatal SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Recently researchers determined the immunological status of infants born to mothers who had confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy. Their objective was to determine the potential impact of SARS-CoV-2 exposure in utero on the neonate.

The findings showed no evidence of vertical SARS-CoV-2 transmission, but it was clear that maternal SARS-CoV-2 specific Immunoglobulin G (IgG) was transferred to infants, to a lesser extent in active or recent maternal infection cases. Babies born to mothers with recent or ongoing SARS-CoV-2 infection had increased circulating pro-inflammatory cytokines and elevated percentages of innate immune cells compared to babies born to uninfected mothers.

Also, greater frequencies of FOXP3+ regulatory T cells and circulating IL-10 showed the mechanism behind the neonatal effector response. Moreover, infants born to mothers who were exposed to SARS-CoV-2 during pregnancy had enhanced cytokine functionality. This shows that maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection influences in utero priming of the fetal immune system.

According to the authors, the study offers a comprehensive immune map of neonates born to mothers with SARS-CoV-2 exposure during pregnancy. While the study did not observe vertical SARS-CoV-2 transmission, it did find multiple immunological alarms in the infants associated with maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy, especially with recent or ongoing infections.

Overall, the findings of this study suggest an immunological imprint on the neonate following maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection, with potential long-term consequences. In utero exposure to environmental factors, pathogens, and/or maternal inflammation have been shown to affect the developing immune system of the fetus and the subsequent responses to infection and immune-mediated diseases, and neurodevelopmental problems. The transfer of maternal SARS-CoV-2 IgG to the fetus suggests the transfer of protective immunity to infants.

The researchers feel that based on the observations in survivors of in utero exposure to the 1918 Spanish influenza pandemic, long-term effects on infants cannot be ruled out. It is currently unclear if antibodies induced via vaccination vs. natural infection differ in their glycosylation status and placental transfer.

SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in the second and third trimesters induced placental transfer of antibodies, but with a reduced transfer ratio in the last trimester. The data from this study may also influence the COVID-19 vaccination regimen for pregnant women. The authors believe that long-term follow-up of the infants who were part of this study will help establish if maternal SARS-CoV-2 exposure has a lasting impact on the infants.

The Journal of Proteomics & Bioinformatics is an academic journal providing an opportunity to researchers and scientist to explore the advanced and latest research developments in the field of proteomics and bioinformatics in animal, plant and microbial world. Journal of Proteomics & Bioinformatics publishes the highest quality scientific articles amalgamating broad range of fields related to proteomics and bioinformatics.

Proteomics Journals is an open access journal that aims to publish the most complete and reliable source of information on the advanced and very latest research topics related to the recent advancements in Omics studies. Proteomics journals have been showing tremendous citations and articles focusing the most advanced research trends in the field of Bioinformatics tools, Protein Biochemistry, Big Data in Genomics and Proteomics. Proteomics journals impact factors is mainly calculated based on the number of articles that undergo single blind peer review process by competent Editorial Board so as to ensure excellence, essence of the work and number of citations received for the same published articles.

Special issues published by the journal will provide its readers to explore the topic of interest  bioinformatics tools and its readers to explore the analysis and interpretation of huge biological data as well as large scale experimental analysis of proteins happening globally.

Submit manuscript at www.longdom.org/submissions/proteomics-bioinformatics.html or send as an e-mail attachment to the Editorial Office at editor@longdom.org

Media Contact:

Mery Eleanor
Managing Editor
Journal of Proteomics & Bioinformatics
ISSN: 0974-276X