Inflammatory-Metal Profile as a Hallmark for COVID-19 Severity During Pregnancy

• Published in: Frontiers in cell and developmental biology 2022-08, Vol.10, p.935363-935363
• Main Authors: Vásquez-Procopio, Johana, Espejel-Nuñez, Aurora, Torres-Torres, Johnatan, Martinez-Portilla, Raigam Jafet, Espino Y. Sosa, Salvador, Mateu-Rogell, Paloma, Ortega-Castillo, Veronica, Tolentino-Dolores, Maricruz, Perichart-Perera, Otilia, Franco-Gallardo, José Osman, Carranco-Martínez, José Alberto, Prieto-Rodríguez, Scarleth, Guzmán-Huerta, Mario, Missirlis, Fanis, Estrada-Gutierrez, Guadalupe
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Cell and Developmental Biology; copper; IL-6; placenta; SARS – CoV – 2; zinc
• ISSN: 2296-634X; 2296-634X
• DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.935363

Pregnancy makes women more susceptible to infectious agents; however, available data on the effect of SARS-CoV-2 on pregnant women are limited. To date, inflammatory responses and changes in serum metal concentration have been reported in COVID-19 patients, but few associations between metal ions and cytokines have been described. The aim of this study was to evaluate correlations between inflammatory markers and serum metal ions in third-trimester pregnant women with varying COVID-19 disease severity. Patients with severe symptoms had increased concentrations of serum magnesium, copper, and calcium ions and decreased concentrations of iron, zinc, and sodium ions. Potassium ions were unaffected. Pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6, TNF-α, IL-8, IL-1α, anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-4, and the IP-10 chemokine were induced in the severe presentation of COVID-19 during pregnancy. Robust negative correlations between iron/magnesium and zinc/IL-6, and a positive correlation between copper/IP-10 were observed in pregnant women with the severe form of the disease. Thus, coordinated alterations of serum metal ions and inflammatory markers – suggestive of underlying pathophysiological interactions—occur during SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnancy.