Extracellular Vesicles Alter Trophoblast Function in Pregnancies Complicated by COVID-19.

ABSTRACT: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and resulting coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cause placental dysfunction, which increases the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes. While abnormal placental pathology resulting from COVID-19 is common, direct infection of the placenta is rare. This suggests that pathophysiology associated with maternal COVID-19, rather than direct placental infection, is responsible for placental dysfunction. We hypothesized that maternal circulating extracellular vesicles (EVs), altered by COVID-19 during pregnancy, contribute to placental dysfunction. To examine this hypothesis, we characterized circulating EVs from pregnancies complicated by COVID-19 and tested their effects on trophoblast cell physiology in vitro. Trophoblast exposure

SUBMITTER: Golden TN 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11982706 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature