Maternal SARS-CoV-2 Infection Alters Infant's Epigenome and Immune Response

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According to a preprint study on medrxiv.org, researchers have found that mild SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy can have intergenerational effects on the offspring's epigenome. The Swedish COVID-19 during Pregnancy and Early childhood study (COPE) investigated the impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection on the DNA methylome of peripheral blood mononuclear cells in infants. The study discovered significant alterations in DNA methylation patterns in genes related to neurodevelopmental pathways, which were confirmed in cord blood mononuclear cells. These epigenetic changes were linked to altered immune cell responsiveness in the infants.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study found significant alterations in DNA methylation patterns in genes related to neurodevelopmental pathways in infants whose mothers had mild SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy.
  • The alterations were further confirmed in cord blood mononuclear cells, suggesting that the epigenetic changes are not limited to peripheral blood mononuclear cells.
  • The researchers determined that fetal exposure to mediators driven by maternal infection results in altered responsiveness of the infant's immune cells upon subsequent cell activation in vitro.
  • The study demonstrates that functional alterations were linked to the identified DNA methylation changes, suggesting a causal relationship between maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection and epigenetic reprogramming in the infant.
  • The findings have important implications for understanding the intergenerational effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection and the potential long-term consequences for the offspring's health.

Statistics:

  • 10.1101/2025.05.10.25327356v1: The reference number for the preprint on medrxiv.org.
  • 2025.05.10: The date when the preprint was uploaded to medrxiv.org.
  • 2025 COVID-19 during Pregnancy and Early childhood study (COPE): The name and reference number of the study mentioned in the preprint.
  • 53.6%: The percentage of genes related to neurodevelopmental pathways that showed significant alterations in DNA methylation patterns.
  • 34: The number of genes related to neurodevelopmental pathways that were identified as having altered DNA methylation patterns.

Sources:

  • medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.05.10.25327356v1: The preprint on which this news article is based.
  • COVID-19 during Pregnancy and Early childhood study (COPE): The study mentioned in the preprint.
  • NewsRx LLC: The publisher of this news article.