The researchers say this could mean embryos are susceptible to COVID-19 if the mother gets sick, potentially affecting the chances of a successful pregnancy.
While initially recognised as causing respiratory disease, the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes COVID-19 disease, also affects many other organs. Advanced age and obesity are risk factors for complications but questions concerning the potential effects on fetal health and successful pregnancy for those infected with SARS-CoV-2 remain largely unanswered.
To examine the risks, a team of researchers used technology developed by Professor Magdalena Zernicka-Goetz at the University of Cambridge to culture human embryos through the stage they normally implant in the body of the mother to look at the activity – or ‘expression’ – of key genes in the embryo. Their findings are published in the Royal Society’s journal Open Biology.
On the surface of the SARS-CoV-2 virus are large ‘spike’ proteins. Spike proteins bind to ACE2, a protein receptor found on the surface of cells in our body. Both the spike protein and ACE2 are then cleaved, allowing genetic material from the virus to enter the host cell. The virus manipulates the host cell’s machinery to allow the virus to replicate and spread.
Image: Human embryo cultured in vitro
Credit: Zernicka-Goetz Lab