Skewed fate and hematopoiesis of CD34+ HSPCs in umbilical cord blood amid the COVID-19 pandemic

Benjamin K. Estep; Charles J. Kuhlmann; Satoru Osuka; Gajendra W. Suryavanshi; Yoshiko Nagaoka-Kamata; Ciearria N. Samuel; Madison T. Blucas; Chloe E. Jepson; Paul A. Goepfert; Masakazu Kamata

iScience (Dec 2022)

Skewed fate and hematopoiesis of CD34+ HSPCs in umbilical cord blood amid the COVID-19 pandemic

Benjamin K. Estep,
Charles J. Kuhlmann,
Satoru Osuka,
Gajendra W. Suryavanshi,
Yoshiko Nagaoka-Kamata,
Ciearria N. Samuel,
Madison T. Blucas,
Chloe E. Jepson,
Paul A. Goepfert,
Masakazu Kamata

Affiliations

Benjamin K. Estep: Department of Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 845 19th Street South, Birmingham, AL 35205, USA
Charles J. Kuhlmann: Department of Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 845 19th Street South, Birmingham, AL 35205, USA
Satoru Osuka: Department of Neurosurgery, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35233, USA
Gajendra W. Suryavanshi: Division of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
Yoshiko Nagaoka-Kamata: Department of Pathology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35205, USA
Ciearria N. Samuel: Department of Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 845 19th Street South, Birmingham, AL 35205, USA
Madison T. Blucas: Department of Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 845 19th Street South, Birmingham, AL 35205, USA
Chloe E. Jepson: Department of Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 845 19th Street South, Birmingham, AL 35205, USA
Paul A. Goepfert: Department of Medicine and Division of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35205, USA
Masakazu Kamata: Department of Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 845 19th Street South, Birmingham, AL 35205, USA; Corresponding author

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 25, no. 12
p. 105544

Abstract

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Summary: Umbilical cord blood (UCB) is an irreplaceable source for hematopoietic stem progenitor cells (HSPCs). However, the effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 vaccination on UCB phenotype, specifically the HSPCs therein, are currently unknown. We thus evaluated any effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection and/or COVID-19 vaccination from the mother on the fate and functionalities of HSPCs in the UCB. The numbers and frequencies of HSPCs in the UCB decreased significantly in donors with previous SARS-CoV-2 infection and more so with COVID-19 vaccination via the induction of apoptosis, likely mediated by IFN-γ-dependent pathways. Two independent hematopoiesis assays, a colony forming unit assay and a mouse humanization assay, revealed skewed hematopoiesis of HSPCs obtained from donors delivered from mothers with SARS-CoV-2 infection history. These results indicate that SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 vaccination impair the functionalities and survivability of HSPCs in the UCB, which would make unprecedented concerns on the future of HSPC-based therapies.

Published in iScience

ISSN: 2589-0042 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: United States
LCC subjects: Science
Website: http://www.cell.com/iscience/home

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