Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42479792›Full record

ArticlePloS one2026

Emerging role of human endogenous retroviruses in mothers with history of perinatal depression and risk of neurodevelopmental disorders in offspring: Results from a pilot study.

Chiara Cipriani, Martina Siracusano, Martina Giudice, Vita Petrone, Assia Riccioni, Elisa Carloni, Ilaria Adulti, Irene Sferra, Martino Tony Miele, Marialaura Ferrara and 6 more

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Article in PloS one, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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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

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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

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

16 authors.

Chiara CiprianiDepartment of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7085-4966
Martina SiracusanoDepartment of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
Martina GiudiceDepartment of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
Vita PetroneDepartment of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
Assia RiccioniChild Neurology and Psychiatry Unit, Department of Wellbeing of Mental and Neurological, Dental and Sensory Organ Health, Policlinico Tor Vergata Foundation Hospital, Rome, Italy.
Elisa CarloniChild Neurology and Psychiatry Unit, Department of Wellbeing of Mental and Neurological, Dental and Sensory Organ Health, Policlinico Tor Vergata Foundation Hospital, Rome, Italy.
Ilaria AdultiPsychiatry and Clinical Psychology Unit, Department of Wellbeing of Mental and Neurological, Dental and Sensory Organ Health, Policlinico Tor Vergata Foundation Hospital, Rome, Italy.
Irene SferraSystems Medicine Department, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
Martino Tony MieleDepartment of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
Marialaura FerraraChild Neurology and Psychiatry Unit, Department of Wellbeing of Mental and Neurological, Dental and Sensory Organ Health, Policlinico Tor Vergata Foundation Hospital, Rome, Italy.
Enrico GaraciIRCCS San Raffaele Pisana, Rome, Italy.
Claudia MatteucciDepartment of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
Paola Sinibaldi-VallebonaDepartment of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
Cinzia NioluPsychiatry and Clinical Psychology Unit, Department of Wellbeing of Mental and Neurological, Dental and Sensory Organ Health, Policlinico Tor Vergata Foundation Hospital, Rome, Italy.
Luigi MazzoneChild Neurology and Psychiatry Unit, Department of Wellbeing of Mental and Neurological, Dental and Sensory Organ Health, Policlinico Tor Vergata Foundation Hospital, Rome, Italy.
Emanuela BalestrieriDepartment of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Perinatal depression (PD) actually affects 10-15% of pregnant women and represents one of the most debated topics as potentially implicated in offspring neurodevelopmental disorders etiology, particularly Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Scientific evidence supports the role of Human Endogenous Retroviruses (HERVs) in ASD, as a link among environmental stimuli, epigenetic remodeling and biological processes. The aim of the present study was to characterize the expression profile of different HERVs and selected cytokines in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from women who have experienced PD in comparison to women without history of PD and their respective children stratified according to ASD diagnosis, by RT Real-Time PCR. We showed that ASD children and their PD mothers share abnormal expression of pHERV-W, syncytin-2 and IL-6 likely influenced by the common environment, maternal status, genetic predisposition, or postnatal factors. Of note, mothers with a history of PD were also evaluated at the time of blood sampling using the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, and a positive correlation with pHERV-W levels was observed. Together with previous results in preclinical models and human studies, our results support the role of HERVs in autism as a contributing factor in creating an adverse environment for normal neurodevelopment, strengthening the view of a mother-child association in the context of autism. PD being associated with the altered activity of HERVs could be considered to be an additional risk factor in the pathogenesis of autism.

Indexed as

Autism Spectrum DisorderDepressionEndogenous RetrovirusesNeurodevelopmental DisordersAdultChildChild, PreschoolFemaleGene Products, envHumansMaleMothersPilot ProjectsPregnancyPregnancy ProteinsRisk FactorsGene Products, envPregnancy Proteinssyncytin

Identifiers

PMID42479792
PMCPMC13387564

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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.