SARS-CoV-2 cell entry gene ACE2 expression in immune cells that infiltrate the placenta in infection-associated preterm birth

Lye, P.; Dunk, C.; Zhang, J.; Wei, Y.; Nakpu, J.; Hamada, H.; Imperio, G.; Bloise, E.; Matthews, S. M.; Lye, S. J.

COVID-19 infection during pregnancy is associated with an increased incidence of preterm birth but neonatal infection is rare. We assessed pathways by which SARS-CoV-2 could access the placenta and contribute to fetal transmission. Placentas from pregnancies complicated with chorioamnionitis (ChA), exhibited increased expression of ACE2 mRNA. Treatment of 2nd trimester placental explants with LPS, induced an acute increase in cytokine expression followed by ACE2 mRNA. Placental ACE2 protein localized to syncytiotrophoblast, in fetal blood vessels and M1/M2 macrophage and neutrophils within the villous stroma. Increased numbers of M1 macrophage and neutrophils were present in the placenta of ChA pregnancies. Maternal peripheral immune cells (mainly granulocytes and monocytes) express the ACE2 mRNA and protein. These data suggest that in COVID19 positive pregnancies complicated by ChA, ACE2 positive immune cells have the potential to traffic SARS-CoV-2 virus to the placenta and increase the risk of vertical transmission to the placenta/fetus.