UCL Discovery
UCL home » Library Services » Electronic resources » UCL Discovery

COVID-19 and vertical transmission: assessing the expression of ACE2 / TMPRSS2 in the human fetus and placenta to assess the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection

Beesley, MA; Davidson, JR; Panariello, F; Shibuya, S; Scaglioni, D; Jones, BC; Maksym, K; ... Gerli, MFM; + view all (2021) COVID-19 and vertical transmission: assessing the expression of ACE2 / TMPRSS2 in the human fetus and placenta to assess the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection. BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology 10.1111/1471-0528.16974. (In press). Green open access

[thumbnail of 1471-0528.16974.pdf]
Preview
Text
1471-0528.16974.pdf - Accepted Version

Download (16MB) | Preview

Abstract

BACKGROUND: While pregnant women have been identified as a potentially at-risk group concerning COVID-19 infection, little is known regarding the susceptibility of the fetus to infection. Co-expression of ACE2 and TMPRSS2 has been identified as a pre-requisite for infection, and expression across different tissues is known to vary between children and adults. However, the expression of these proteins in the fetus is unknown. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of a single cell data repository. The data were then validated at both gene and protein level by performing RT-qPCR and two-colour immunohistochemistry on a library of second-trimester human fetal tissues. FINDINGS: TMPRSS2 is present at both gene and protein level in the predominantly epithelial fetal tissues analysed. ACE2 is present at significant levels, only in the fetal intestine and kidney and is not expressed in the fetal lung. The placenta also does not co-express the two proteins across the second trimester or at term. INTERPRETATION: This dataset indicates that the lungs are unlikely to be a viable route of SARS-CoV2 fetal infection. The fetal kidney, despite presenting both the proteins required for the infection, is anatomically protected from the exposure to the virus. However, the GI tract is likely to be susceptible to infection due to its high co-expression of both proteins, as well as its exposure to potentially infected amniotic fluid.

Type: Article
Title: COVID-19 and vertical transmission: assessing the expression of ACE2 / TMPRSS2 in the human fetus and placenta to assess the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection
Location: England
Open access status: An open access version is available from UCL Discovery
DOI: 10.1111/1471-0528.16974
Publisher version: https://doi.org/10.1111/1471-0528.16974
Language: English
Additional information: This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the Creative Commons license, unless indicated otherwise in the credit line; if the material is not included under the Creative Commons license, users will need to obtain permission from the license holder to reproduce the material. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Keywords: ACE2, COVID-19, Fetal Infection, SARS-CoV2, TMPRSS2, Vertical Transmission
UCL classification: UCL
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Medical Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Medical Sciences > Div of Surgery and Interventional Sci
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Population Health Sciences > Institute of Cardiovascular Science
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Population Health Sciences > UCL EGA Institute for Womens Health
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Population Health Sciences > UCL EGA Institute for Womens Health > Maternal and Fetal Medicine
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Population Health Sciences > UCL GOS Institute of Child Health
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Population Health Sciences > UCL GOS Institute of Child Health > Population, Policy and Practice Dept
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Maths and Physical Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Maths and Physical Sciences > MAPS Faculty Office
URI: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10137895
Downloads since deposit
37Downloads
Download activity - last month
Download activity - last 12 months
Downloads by country - last 12 months

Archive Staff Only

View Item View Item