Inflammatory and Immune Responses during SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Vaccinated and Non-Vaccinated Pregnant Women and Their Newborns
Paola Zelini,
Piera d’Angelo,
Federica Zavaglio,
Ehsan Soleymaninejadian,
Liliana Mariani,
Francesca Perotti,
Mattia Dominoni,
Stelvio Tonello,
Pierpaolo Sainaghi,
Rosalba Minisini,
Daria Apostolo,
Daniele Lilleri,
Arsenio Spinillo,
Fausto Baldanti
Affiliations
Paola Zelini
Molecular Virology Unit, Microbiology and Virology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, 27100 Pavia, Italy
Piera d’Angelo
Molecular Virology Unit, Microbiology and Virology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, 27100 Pavia, Italy
Federica Zavaglio
Molecular Virology Unit, Microbiology and Virology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, 27100 Pavia, Italy
Ehsan Soleymaninejadian
Department of Clinical, Surgical, Diagnostics and Pediatric Sciences, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
Liliana Mariani
Obstetrics and Gynecology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, 27100 Pavia, Italy
Francesca Perotti
Obstetrics and Gynecology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, 27100 Pavia, Italy
Mattia Dominoni
Obstetrics and Gynecology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, 27100 Pavia, Italy
Stelvio Tonello
Immunoreumatology Laboratory, Center for Translational Research on Autoimmune and Allergic Disease-CAAD, University of Piemonte Orientale, 28100 Novara, Italy
Pierpaolo Sainaghi
Immunoreumatology Laboratory, Center for Translational Research on Autoimmune and Allergic Disease-CAAD, University of Piemonte Orientale, 28100 Novara, Italy
Rosalba Minisini
Internal Medicine Laboratory, Department of Translational Medicine, University of Piemonte Orientale, 28100 Novara, Italy
Daria Apostolo
Immunoreumatology Laboratory, Center for Translational Research on Autoimmune and Allergic Disease-CAAD, University of Piemonte Orientale, 28100 Novara, Italy
Daniele Lilleri
Molecular Virology Unit, Microbiology and Virology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, 27100 Pavia, Italy
Arsenio Spinillo
Obstetrics and Gynecology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, 27100 Pavia, Italy
Fausto Baldanti
Molecular Virology Unit, Microbiology and Virology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, 27100 Pavia, Italy
Background. Pregnant women are more susceptible to severe disease associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection. We performed a prospective study to analyze the inflammatory and immune profile after SARS-CoV-2 infection occurring in vaccinated or non-vaccinated pregnant women and their newborns. Methods. Twenty-five pregnant women with SARS-CoV-2 infection were enrolled, and sixteen cord blood samples were obtained at delivery. Results. We observed that IL-1β, TNF-α, Eotaxin, MIB-1β, VEGF, IL-15, IL-2, IL-5, IL-9, IL-10 and IL-1ra levels were significantly higher in vaccinated than non-vaccinated mothers. Furthermore, the newborns of the vaccinated mothers produced higher levels of IL-7, IL-5 and IL-12 compared to the newborns of non-vaccinated mothers. Anti-Spike (S) IgG levels were significantly higher in all vaccinated mothers and their newborns compared to the non-vaccinated group. We found that 87.5% of vaccinated women and 66.6% of non-vaccinated women mounted an S-specific T-cell response quantified by ELISpot assay. Moreover, 75.0% of vaccinated mothers and 38.4% of non-vaccinated mothers showed S-specific CD4+ T-cell proliferative response. The T-helper subset response was restricted to CD4+ Th1 in both vaccinated and non-vaccinated women. Conclusion. A higher level of cytokines, IgG antibodies and memory T cells was noted in the vaccinated women. Furthermore, the maternal IgG antibody trans-placental transfer occurred more frequently in vaccinated mothers and may protect the newborn.
