Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39776066›Full record

ArticleAmerican journal of reproductive immunology (New York, N.Y. : 1989)2025

SARS-CoV-2 Activated Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells (PBMCs) Do Not Provoke Adverse Effects in Trophoblast Spheroids.

Humblenoble Stembridge Ayuk, Susanne Arnold, Arkadiusz Pierzchalski, Mario Bauer, Violeta Stojanovska, Ana Claudia Zenclussen

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in American journal of reproductive immunology (New York, N.Y. : 1989), 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Humblenoble Stembridge AyukDepartment of Environmental Immunology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Leipzig, Saxony, Germany.ORCID 0000-0001-9245-6811
Susanne ArnoldDepartment of Environmental Immunology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Leipzig, Saxony, Germany.
Arkadiusz PierzchalskiDepartment of Environmental Immunology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Leipzig, Saxony, Germany.
Mario BauerDepartment of Environmental Immunology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Leipzig, Saxony, Germany.
Violeta StojanovskaDepartment of Environmental Immunology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Leipzig, Saxony, Germany.
Ana Claudia ZenclussenDepartment of Environmental Immunology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Leipzig, Saxony, Germany.ORCID 0000-0003-3544-4552

Funding

Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft KA1-Co-02"COVIPA"
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

problemAlthough it is still uncertain whether Severe Acute Respiratory Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) placental infection and vertical transmission occur, inflammation during early pregnancy can have devastating consequences for gestation itself and the growing fetus. If and how SARS-CoV-2-specific immune cells negatively affect placenta functionality is still unknown. METHOD OF STUDY: We stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from women of reproductive age with SARS-CoV-2 peptides and cocultured them with trophoblast spheroids (HTR-8/SVneo and JEG-3) to dissect if SARS-CoV-2-activated immune cells can interfere with trophoblast functionality. The activation and cytokine profile of the PBMCs were determined using multicolor flow cytometry. The functionality of trophoblast spheroids was assessed using microscopy, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and RT-qPCR.

resultsSARS-CoV-2 S and M peptides significantly activated PBMCs (monocytes, NK cells, and T cells with memory subsets) and induced the upregulation of proinflammatory cytokines, such as IFNγ. The activated PBMCs did not impact the viability, growth rate, and invasion capabilities of trophoblast spheroids. Furthermore, the hormonal production of hCG by JEG-3 spheroids was not compromised upon coculture with the activated PBMCs. mRNA transcript levels of genes involved in trophoblast spheroid functional pathways were also not dysregulated after coculture.

conclusionsTogether, the findings of our in vitro coculture model, although not fully representative of in vivo conditions, strongly support the claim that the interaction of SARS-CoV-2-activated peripheral blood immune cells with trophoblast cells at the fetal-maternal interface does not negatively affect trophoblast functionality. This goes in hand with the recommendation of vaccinating pregnant women in their first trimester.

Indexed as

Coculture TechniquesCOVID-19Leukocytes, MononuclearSARS-CoV-2Spheroids, CellularTrophoblastsAdultCytokinesFemaleHumansPlacentaPregnancyPregnancy Complications, InfectiousCytokines3D cell cultureperipheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs)pregnancySARS‐CoV‐2spheroidstrophoblast invasiontrophoblast viability

Identifiers

PMID39776066
PMCPMC11706221

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.