SARS-CoV-2 Entry Factors: ACE2 and TMPRSS2 Are Expressed in Peri-Implantation Embryos and the Maternal-Fetal Interface.
Engineering (Beijing). 2020 Oct; 6(10):1162-1169.E

Abstract

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has spread throughout the world, leading to large-scale population infection. Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is the receptor of both severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and SARS-CoV-2. However, it is still controversial whether vertical transmission exists. In order to investigate the potential risk of SARS-CoV-2 vertical transmission, we explored ACE2 and TMPRSS2 (encoding transmembrane protease serine 2) expression patterns in peri-implantation embryos and the maternal-fetal interface using previously published single-cell transcriptome data. The results showed that day 6 (D6) trophectoderm (TE) cells in peri-implantation embryos, as well as syncytiotrophoblast (STB) at 8 weeks of gestation (STB_8W) and extravillous trophoblast (EVT) cells at 24 weeks of gestation (EVT_24W) in the maternal-fetal interface, strongly co-expressed ACE2 and TMPRSS2, indicating a SARS-CoV-2 infection susceptibility. The ACE2 positive-expressing cells in the three cell types mentioned above were found to share common characteristics, which were involved in autophagy and immune-related processes. ACE2 showed no gender bias in post-implantation embryos but showed a significant gender difference in D6_TE, D6 primitive endoderm (PE) cells, and ACE2 positive-expressing STBs. These findings suggest that there may be different SARS-CoV-2 infection susceptibilities of D6 embryos of different genders and during the gestation of different genders. Our results reveal potential SARS-CoV-2 infection risks during embryo transfer, peri-implantation embryo development, and gestation.

Links

PMC Free PDF

Authors+Show Affiliations

Center for Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China. Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction (Peking University), Ministry of Education, Beijing 100191, China. Beijing Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology and Assisted Reproductive Technology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China. National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing 100191, China. Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics, Beijing 100871, China. Research Units of Comprehensive Diagnosis and Treatment of Oocyte Maturation Arrest, Beijing 100191, China.

Liu X

Center for Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China. Beijing Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology and Assisted Reproductive Technology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China. National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing 100191, China.

Chen Y

Qiao J

Center for Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China. Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction (Peking University), Ministry of Education, Beijing 100191, China. Beijing Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology and Assisted Reproductive Technology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China. Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China. Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China. National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing 100191, China. Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics, Beijing 100871, China. Research Units of Comprehensive Diagnosis and Treatment of Oocyte Maturation Arrest, Beijing 100191, China.

Yan L

Center for Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China. Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction (Peking University), Ministry of Education, Beijing 100191, China. Beijing Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology and Assisted Reproductive Technology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China. Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China. National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing 100191, China. Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics, Beijing 100871, China. Research Units of Comprehensive Diagnosis and Treatment of Oocyte Maturation Arrest, Beijing 100191, China.

Pub Type(s)

Journal Article

Language

eng

PubMed ID

32837754

Citation

Chen, Wei, et al. "SARS-CoV-2 Entry Factors: ACE2 and TMPRSS2 Are Expressed in Peri-Implantation Embryos and the Maternal-Fetal Interface." Engineering (Beijing, China), vol. 6, no. 10, 2020, pp. 1162-1169.

Chen W, Yuan P, Yang M, et al. SARS-CoV-2 Entry Factors: ACE2 and TMPRSS2 Are Expressed in Peri-Implantation Embryos and the Maternal-Fetal Interface. Engineering (Beijing). 2020;6(10):1162-1169.

Chen, W., Yuan, P., Yang, M., Yan, Z., Kong, S., Yan, J., Liu, X., Chen, Y., Qiao, J., & Yan, L. (2020). SARS-CoV-2 Entry Factors: ACE2 and TMPRSS2 Are Expressed in Peri-Implantation Embryos and the Maternal-Fetal Interface. Engineering (Beijing, China), 6(10), 1162-1169. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eng.2020.07.013

Chen W, et al. SARS-CoV-2 Entry Factors: ACE2 and TMPRSS2 Are Expressed in Peri-Implantation Embryos and the Maternal-Fetal Interface. Engineering (Beijing). 2020;6(10):1162-1169. PubMed PMID: 32837754.

* Article titles in AMA citation format should be in sentence-case

TY - JOUR T1 - SARS-CoV-2 Entry Factors: ACE2 and TMPRSS2 Are Expressed in Peri-Implantation Embryos and the Maternal-Fetal Interface. AU - Chen,Wei, AU - Yuan,Peng, AU - Yang,Ming, AU - Yan,Zhiqiang, AU - Kong,Siming, AU - Yan,Jie, AU - Liu,Xixi, AU - Chen,Yidong, AU - Qiao,Jie, AU - Yan,Liying, Y1 - 2020/08/17/ PY - 2020/04/30/received PY - 2020/05/15/revised PY - 2020/07/12/accepted PY - 2020/8/25/pubmed PY - 2020/8/25/medline PY - 2020/8/25/entrez KW - ACE2 KW - Peri-implantation KW - Placenta KW - SARS-CoV-2 KW - Vertical transmission SP - 1162 EP - 1169 JF - Engineering (Beijing, China) JO - Engineering (Beijing) VL - 6 IS - 10 N2 - Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has spread throughout the world, leading to large-scale population infection. Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is the receptor of both severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and SARS-CoV-2. However, it is still controversial whether vertical transmission exists. In order to investigate the potential risk of SARS-CoV-2 vertical transmission, we explored ACE2 and TMPRSS2 (encoding transmembrane protease serine 2) expression patterns in peri-implantation embryos and the maternal-fetal interface using previously published single-cell transcriptome data. The results showed that day 6 (D6) trophectoderm (TE) cells in peri-implantation embryos, as well as syncytiotrophoblast (STB) at 8 weeks of gestation (STB_8W) and extravillous trophoblast (EVT) cells at 24 weeks of gestation (EVT_24W) in the maternal-fetal interface, strongly co-expressed ACE2 and TMPRSS2, indicating a SARS-CoV-2 infection susceptibility. The ACE2 positive-expressing cells in the three cell types mentioned above were found to share common characteristics, which were involved in autophagy and immune-related processes. ACE2 showed no gender bias in post-implantation embryos but showed a significant gender difference in D6_TE, D6 primitive endoderm (PE) cells, and ACE2 positive-expressing STBs. These findings suggest that there may be different SARS-CoV-2 infection susceptibilities of D6 embryos of different genders and during the gestation of different genders. Our results reveal potential SARS-CoV-2 infection risks during embryo transfer, peri-implantation embryo development, and gestation. SN - 2095-8099 UR - https://www.unboundmedicine.com/medline/citation/32837754/SARS_CoV_2_Entry_Factors:_ACE2_and_TMPRSS2_Are_Expressed_in_Peri_Implantation_Embryos_and_the_Maternal_Fetal_Interface_ DB - PRIME DP - Unbound Medicine ER -

Tags

SARS-CoV-2 Entry Factors: ACE2 and TMPRSS2 Are Expressed in Peri-Implantation Embryos and the Maternal-Fetal Interface.Engineering (Beijing). 2020 Oct; 6(10):1162-1169.E