2022
No evidence of fetal defects or anti-syncytin-1 antibody induction following COVID-19 mRNA vaccination
Lu-Culligan A, Tabachnikova A, Pérez-Then E, Tokuyama M, Lee HJ, Lucas C, Monteiro V, Miric M, Brache V, Cochon L, Muenker MC, Mohanty S, Huang J, Kang I, Dela Cruz C, Farhadian S, Campbell M, Yildirim I, Shaw AC, Ma S, Vermund SH, Ko AI, Omer SB, Iwasaki A. No evidence of fetal defects or anti-syncytin-1 antibody induction following COVID-19 mRNA vaccination. PLOS Biology 2022, 20: e3001506. PMID: 35609110, PMCID: PMC9129011, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3001506.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsCOVID-19 mRNA vaccinationMRNA vaccinationEarly pregnancyFetal sizeCoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) mRNA vaccinationSevere acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2Acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2Respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2Maternal antibody statusAdverse neonatal outcomesSyndrome coronavirus 2Birth defectsPolyinosinic-polycytidylic acidCrown-rump lengthGross birth defectsUnvaccinated adultsMaternal illnessNeonatal outcomesVaccinated adultsAntibody statusTLR3 agonistEarly immunizationMurine pregnancyAntibody inductionCoronavirus 2
2021
Maternal respiratory SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnancy is associated with a robust inflammatory response at the maternal-fetal interface
Lu-Culligan A, Chavan AR, Vijayakumar P, Irshaid L, Courchaine EM, Milano KM, Tang Z, Pope SD, Song E, Vogels CBF, Lu-Culligan WJ, Campbell KH, Casanovas-Massana A, Bermejo S, Toothaker JM, Lee HJ, Liu F, Schulz W, Fournier J, Muenker MC, Moore AJ, Team Y, Konnikova L, Neugebauer KM, Ring A, Grubaugh ND, Ko AI, Morotti R, Guller S, Kliman HJ, Iwasaki A, Farhadian SF. Maternal respiratory SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnancy is associated with a robust inflammatory response at the maternal-fetal interface. Med 2021, 2: 591-610.e10. PMID: 33969332, PMCID: PMC8084634, DOI: 10.1016/j.medj.2021.04.016.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSARS-CoV-2 infectionMaternal-fetal interfaceACE2 expressionNatural killerPregnant womenPlacental cellsAcute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infectionSevere acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infectionSARS-CoV-2-infected womenTerm placentaSyndrome coronavirus 2 infectionCoronavirus 2 infectionPotential immune mechanismsRobust inflammatory responseRobust immune responseCoronavirus disease 2019Detectable viral RNAInterferon-related genesLower ACE2 expressionMajority of placentasPregnancy complicationsPlacental histologyHofbauer cellsEarly pregnancyImmune activation
2020
SARS-CoV-2 infection of the placenta
Hosier H, Farhadian SF, Morotti RA, Deshmukh U, Lu-Culligan A, Campbell KH, Yasumoto Y, Vogels C, Casanovas-Massana A, Vijayakumar P, Geng B, Odio CD, Fournier J, Brito AF, Fauver JR, Liu F, Alpert T, Tal R, Szigeti-Buck K, Perincheri S, Larsen C, Gariepy AM, Aguilar G, Fardelmann KL, Harigopal M, Taylor HS, Pettker CM, Wyllie AL, Dela Cruz CS, Ring AM, Grubaugh ND, Ko AI, Horvath TL, Iwasaki A, Reddy UM, Lipkind HS. SARS-CoV-2 infection of the placenta. Journal Of Clinical Investigation 2020, 130: 4947-4953. PMID: 32573498, PMCID: PMC7456249, DOI: 10.1172/jci139569.Peer-Reviewed Case Reports and Technical NotesMeSH KeywordsAbortion, TherapeuticAbruptio PlacentaeAdultBetacoronavirusCoronavirus InfectionsCOVID-19FemaleHumansMicroscopy, Electron, TransmissionPandemicsPhylogenyPlacentaPneumonia, ViralPre-EclampsiaPregnancyPregnancy Complications, InfectiousPregnancy Trimester, SecondRNA, ViralSARS-CoV-2Viral LoadConceptsSevere acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2Acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2SARS-CoV-2 infectionRespiratory syndrome coronavirus 2SARS-CoV-2 invasionMaternal antibody responseSymptomatic COVID-19Second trimester pregnancySyndrome coronavirus 2Coronavirus disease 2019Materno-fetal interfaceDense macrophage infiltratesPlacental abruptionSevere preeclampsiaMacrophage infiltratesSevere morbidityTrimester pregnancyPregnant womenCoronavirus 2Antibody responseBackgroundThe effectsDisease 2019Histological examinationImmunohistochemical assaysPlacentaThe Role of Immune Factors in Shaping Fetal Neurodevelopment
Lu-Culligan A, Iwasaki A. The Role of Immune Factors in Shaping Fetal Neurodevelopment. Annual Review Of Cell And Developmental Biology 2020, 36: 1-28. PMID: 32722920, PMCID: PMC9034439, DOI: 10.1146/annurev-cellbio-021120-033518.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsMaternal immune activationImmune factorsFetal neurodevelopmentMaternal immunityPoor neurological outcomeMaternal-fetal interfaceNeurological outcomeNormal pregnancyImmune activationImmune pathwaysPostnatal lifeNeurological disordersExperimental modelNeurodevelopmentNormal physiologyPregnancyVivo roleImmunityCritical participantsMaternal pathwayFactorsSequence of eventsPathogenesisUteroFetusesContributions of maternal and fetal antiviral immunity in congenital disease
Yockey LJ, Lucas C, Iwasaki A. Contributions of maternal and fetal antiviral immunity in congenital disease. Science 2020, 368: 608-612. PMID: 32381717, DOI: 10.1126/science.aaz1960.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsViral infectionCongenital diseaseDirect viral toxicityMaternal immune responseMaternal immune activationFetal developmental defectsFuture treatment strategiesImmune defense mechanismsPregnancy outcomesFetal demiseImmune activationUncontrolled inflammationMaternal healthChronic infectionTreatment strategiesImmune responseAntiviral immunityRange of syndromesFetal developmentTissue damagePathological effectsInfectionViral toxicityDevastating consequencesPregnancy
2018
Interferons and Proinflammatory Cytokines in Pregnancy and Fetal Development
Yockey LJ, Iwasaki A. Interferons and Proinflammatory Cytokines in Pregnancy and Fetal Development. Immunity 2018, 49: 397-412. PMID: 30231982, PMCID: PMC6152841, DOI: 10.1016/j.immuni.2018.07.017.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsFetal developmentHealthy pregnancyImmune responseFetal immune responseRole of interferonPregnancy complicationsProinflammatory cytokinesSuccessful pregnancyCertain infectionsPregnant mothersImmune cellsInflammatory conditionsSevere diseasePregnancyFetal diseaseImmune systemCytokinesCongenital disorderPossible targetsInterferonFetusesInfectionDiseaseMothersComplicationsType I interferons instigate fetal demise after Zika virus infection
Yockey LJ, Jurado KA, Arora N, Millet A, Rakib T, Milano KM, Hastings AK, Fikrig E, Kong Y, Horvath TL, Weatherbee S, Kliman HJ, Coyne CB, Iwasaki A. Type I interferons instigate fetal demise after Zika virus infection. Science Immunology 2018, 3 PMID: 29305462, PMCID: PMC6049088, DOI: 10.1126/sciimmunol.aao1680.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsZika virus infectionZIKV infectionI IFNsI interferonType I interferonGrowth restrictionFetal demiseVirus infectionSevere fetal growth restrictionType I IFNsChorionic villous explantsAdverse fetal outcomesCongenital viral infectionFetal growth restrictionMaternal-fetal barrierType IFunctional type IPlacental damageFetal outcomesPregnancy complicationsEarly pregnancyFetal resorptionZIKV diseasePregnant damsSpontaneous abortion
2017
Zika virus targets blood monocytes
Jurado KA, Iwasaki A. Zika virus targets blood monocytes. Nature Microbiology 2017, 2: 1460-1461. PMID: 29070824, DOI: 10.1038/s41564-017-0049-7.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchFetal Growth Restriction Caused by Sexual Transmission of Zika Virus in Mice
Uraki R, Jurado KA, Hwang J, Szigeti-Buck K, Horvath TL, Iwasaki A, Fikrig E. Fetal Growth Restriction Caused by Sexual Transmission of Zika Virus in Mice. The Journal Of Infectious Diseases 2017, 215: 1720-1724. PMID: 28472297, PMCID: PMC5853330, DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jix204.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsZika virusSexual transmissionWeight of fetusesFetal growth restrictionNaive female miceType I interferon receptorEmbryonic day 18.5Female miceGrowth restrictionMale miceOcular deformityMosquito bitesControl groupDay 18.5Fetal abnormalitiesSexual contactInterferon receptorMiceFetusesInfected malesVirusDeformityAbnormalitiesReceptorsTAM Receptors Are Not Required for Zika Virus Infection in Mice
Hastings AK, Yockey LJ, Jagger BW, Hwang J, Uraki R, Gaitsch HF, Parnell LA, Cao B, Mysorekar IU, Rothlin CV, Fikrig E, Diamond MS, Iwasaki A. TAM Receptors Are Not Required for Zika Virus Infection in Mice. Cell Reports 2017, 19: 558-568. PMID: 28423319, PMCID: PMC5485843, DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2017.03.058.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsTAM receptorsZika virusAbsence of IFNARGlobal public health concernNon-pregnant miceZika virus infectionAdult female micePublic health concernZIKV entryZIKV infectionFemale miceViral inoculationZIKV replicationMertk (TAM) receptorsYoung miceVirus infectionEntry receptorViral titersViral replicationCell tropismInfectionHealth concernMiceAxlReceptors
2016
Vaginal Exposure to Zika Virus during Pregnancy Leads to Fetal Brain Infection
Yockey LJ, Varela L, Rakib T, Khoury-Hanold W, Fink SL, Stutz B, Szigeti-Buck K, Van den Pol A, Lindenbach BD, Horvath TL, Iwasaki A. Vaginal Exposure to Zika Virus during Pregnancy Leads to Fetal Brain Infection. Cell 2016, 166: 1247-1256.e4. PMID: 27565347, PMCID: PMC5006689, DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2016.08.004.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAbortion, HabitualAnimalsBrainBrain DiseasesDisease Models, AnimalFemaleFetal Growth RetardationInterferon Regulatory Factor-3MiceMice, Inbred C57BLMice, Mutant StrainsPregnancyPregnancy Complications, InfectiousReceptor, Interferon alpha-betaVaginaVirus ReplicationZika VirusZika Virus InfectionConceptsZika virusFetal brain infectionFetal growth restrictionLocal viral replicationWild-type miceType I interferon receptorZIKV challengeTranscription factor IRF3Vaginal exposureGenital mucosaBrain infectionWT miceEarly pregnancyZIKV infectionGrowth restrictionPregnant damsVaginal infectionsZIKV replicationFetal brainMouse modelIFN pathwayVaginal tractUnborn fetusViral replicationDisease consequences