Peripartum outcomes and immune responses after SARS-CoV-2 infection in the third trimester of pregnancy.

BACKGROUND: SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnant women during the third trimester resulted in overall adverse pregnancy outcomes compared to non-infected controls and a unique humoral and cellular response at delivery. In this study we aimed to assess the impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection on maternal/neonatal peripartum outcomes andimmunological profiles. METHOD: In this study, we recruited 304 SARS-CoV-2 infected pregnant women and 910 SARS-CoV-2 non-infected pregnant women who were admitted for delivery. Peripartum and neonates' outcomes response to SARS-CoV-2 infection were analyzed. Furthermore, we characterized the antibody and cytokines profile in SARS-CoV-2 infected maternal blood (MB) and cord blood (CB). We also assessed routine laboratory tests and liver function tests in MB before labor. Unpaired T test, Mann-Whitney test and Spearman test were used to analyze the data. RESULTS: SARS-CoV-2 infected pregnant women were significantly associated with increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes, including preterm labor (13.8% vs. 9.5%, p = 0.033) and meconium-stained amniotic fluid (8.9% vs. 5.5%, p = 0.039). The risk of low birth weight (< 2500 g) (10.5% vs. 6.5%, p = 0.021) and Apgar score < 8 at 1-minute (9.2% vs. 5.8%, p = 0.049) significantly increased in newborns from COVID-19 positive mothers than their counterparts. Our results showed that antibodies were increased in adverse-outcome SARS-CoV-2 infected mothers and their neonates, and abnormal proportion of immune cells were detected in SARS-CoV-2 infected mothers. While the immune response showed no difference between adverse-outcome infected pregnant women and normal-outcome infected pregnant women. Thus, SARS-CoV-2 infection during the third trimester of pregnancy induced a unique humoral and cellular response at delivery. CONCLUSION: SARS-CoV-2 infection closer to delivery could incline to adverse pregnancy outcomes. Therefore, the utmost care is required for SARS-CoV-2 infected pregnant women and their newborns. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study protocol was approved by the Institutional Review Board of the First Hospital of Jilin University with the approval code number 23K170-001, and informed consent was obtained from all enrolled patients prior to sample collection.

[Pro-apoptotic effects of curcumin associated with CIK cells against ovarian carcinoma cells].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the pro-apoptotic effects of Curcumin associated with CIK cells against SKOV3 cells of ovarian carcinoma and discusses the possible molecular mechanisms. METHODS: CIK cells were induced from umbilicus cord blood. The apoptotic morphology of SKOV3 cells was observed under electron microscope after treated with Cur, CIK cells and Cur associated with CIK cells. The levels of Fas protein on surface of ovarian cancer cells and FasL protein on surface of CIK cells after Curcumin treatment were determined by Western blot. The inhibition rates on proliferation of CIK cells and Cur associated with CIK cells after addition of FasL monoclonal antibody were detected by (thiazolyl blue tetrazolium bromide) MTT. RESULTS: The changes of apoptotic morphology in the group of Cur associated with CIK cells were most obvious compared with that in the group of Cur or CIK cells alone. Cur could promote the expression of Fas on surface of SKOV3 cells and FasL on membranes of CIK cells. The inhibition rates on proliferation in the group of CIK cells and Cur associated with CIK cells could be restrained obviously after an addition of anti-FasmAb. CONCLUSION: The pro-apoptotic effects of SKOV3 cells increase with the combined use of Cur and CIK cells. The mechanism may be that Cur can promote the expression of Fas protein on cell surface of SKOV3 cells and FasL protein on cell membrane of CIK cells so as to up-regulate the expression of Fas protein in SKOV3 cells and lead ultimately to the a higher expression of Caspase3.