Cui, D;
Liu, Y;
Jiang, X;
Ding, C;
Poon, LC;
Wang, H;
Yang, H;
(2021)
Single-cell RNA expression profiling of SARS-CoV-2-related ACE2 and TMPRSS2 in human trophectoderm and placenta.
Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology
, 57
(2)
pp. 248-256.
10.1002/uog.22186.
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Single-cell RNA expression profiling of SARS-CoV-2-related ACE2 and TMPRSS2 in human trophectoderm and placenta.pdf - Published Version Download (4MB) | Preview |
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To examine the characteristics and distribution of possible severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) target cells in the human trophectoderm (TE) and placenta. METHODS: Bioinformatics analysis was performed based on published single-cell transcriptomic datasets of early TE and first- and second-trimester human placentae. We conducted the transcriptomic analysis of 4198 early TE cells, 1260 first-trimester placental cells and 189 extravillous trophoblast cells (EVTs) from 24-week placentae (EVT_24W) using the SMART-Seq2 method. In addition, to confirm the bioinformatic results, we performed immunohistochemical staining of three first-trimester, three second-trimester and three third-trimester placentae from nine women recruited prospectively to this study. We evaluated the expression of the SARS-CoV-2-related molecules angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and transmembrane protease serine 2 (TMPRSS2). RESULTS: Via bioinformatic analysis, we identified the existence of ACE2 and TMPRSS2 expression in human TE as well as in first- and second-trimester placentae. In the human TE, 54.4% of TE1 cells, 9.0% of cytotrophoblasts (CTBs), 3.2% of EVTs and 29.5% of syncytiotrophoblasts (STBs) were ACE2-positive. In addition, 90.7% of TE1 cells, 31.5% of CTBs, 22.1% of EVTs and 70.8% of STBs were TMPRSS2-positive. In placental cells, 20.4% of CTBs, 44.1% of STBs, 3.4% of EVTs from 8-week placentae (EVT_8W) and 63% of EVT_24W were ACE2-positive, while 1.6% of CTBs, 26.5% of STBs, 1.9% of EVT_8W and 20.1% of EVT_24W were TMPRSS2-positive. Pathway analysis revealed that EVT_24W cells that were positive for both ACE2 and TMPRSS2 (ACE2 + TMPRSS2-positive) were associated with morphogenesis of branching structure, extracellular matrix interaction, oxygen binding and antioxidant activity. The ACE2 + TMPRSS2-positive TE1 cells were correlated with an increased capacity for viral invasion, epithelial-cell proliferation and cell adhesion. Expression of ACE2 and TMPRSS2 was observed on immunohistochemical staining in first-, second- and third-trimester placentae. CONCLUSIONS: ACE2- and TMPRSS2-positive cells are present in the human TE and placenta in all three trimesters of pregnancy, which indicates the possibility that SARS-CoV-2 could spread via the placenta and cause intrauterine fetal infection. © 2020 International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology
Type: | Article |
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Title: | Single-cell RNA expression profiling of SARS-CoV-2-related ACE2 and TMPRSS2 in human trophectoderm and placenta |
Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
DOI: | 10.1002/uog.22186 |
Publisher version: | https://doi.org/10.1002/uog.22186 |
Language: | English |
Additional information: | This version is the author accepted manuscript. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher’s terms and conditions. |
Keywords: | ACE2, TMPRSS2, COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, trophectoderm, placenta |
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 > Cancer Institute |
URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10139031 |
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