Diagnostic and Therapeutic Potential for HNP-1, HBD-1 and HBD-4 in Pregnant Women with COVID-19
Pregnancy is characterized by significant immunological changes and a cytokine profile, as well as vitamin deficiencies that can cause problems for the correct development of a fetus. Defensins are small antimicrobial peptides that are part of the innate immune system and are involved in several bio...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-03-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Molecular Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/23/7/3450 |
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| author | Mariarita Brancaccio Cristina Mennitti Mariella Calvanese Alessandro Gentile Roberta Musto Giulia Gaudiello Giulia Scamardella Daniela Terracciano Giulia Frisso Raffaela Pero Laura Sarno Maurizio Guida Olga Scudiero |
| author_facet | Mariarita Brancaccio Cristina Mennitti Mariella Calvanese Alessandro Gentile Roberta Musto Giulia Gaudiello Giulia Scamardella Daniela Terracciano Giulia Frisso Raffaela Pero Laura Sarno Maurizio Guida Olga Scudiero |
| author_sort | Mariarita Brancaccio |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Pregnancy is characterized by significant immunological changes and a cytokine profile, as well as vitamin deficiencies that can cause problems for the correct development of a fetus. Defensins are small antimicrobial peptides that are part of the innate immune system and are involved in several biological activities. Following that, this study aims to compare the levels of various cytokines and to investigate the role of defensins between pregnant women with confirmed COVID-19 infection and pregnant women without any defined risk factor. TNF-α, TGF-β, IL-2 and IL-10, β-defensins, have been evaluated by gene expression in our population. At the same time, by <i>ELISA assay</i> IL-6, IL-8, defensin alpha 1, defensin beta 1 and defensin beta 4 have been measured. The data obtained show that mothers affected by COVID-19 have an increase in pro-inflammatory factors (TNF-α, TGF-β, IL-2, IL-6, IL-8) compared to controls; this increase could generate a sort of “protection of the fetus” from virus attacks. Contemporarily, we have an increase in the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 and an increase in AMPs, which highlights how the mother’s body is responding to the viral attack. These results allow us to hypothesize a mechanism of “trafficking” of antimicrobial peptides from the mother to the fetus that would help the fetus to protect itself from the infection in progress. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T11:49:06Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0b837ecfca4f4212897d5d408c09d8a8 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1661-6596 1422-0067 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T11:49:06Z |
| publishDate | 2022-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Molecular Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-0b837ecfca4f4212897d5d408c09d8a82023-11-30T23:17:05ZengMDPI AGInternational Journal of Molecular Sciences1661-65961422-00672022-03-01237345010.3390/ijms23073450Diagnostic and Therapeutic Potential for HNP-1, HBD-1 and HBD-4 in Pregnant Women with COVID-19Mariarita Brancaccio0Cristina Mennitti1Mariella Calvanese2Alessandro Gentile3Roberta Musto4Giulia Gaudiello5Giulia Scamardella6Daniela Terracciano7Giulia Frisso8Raffaela Pero9Laura Sarno10Maurizio Guida11Olga Scudiero12Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, ItalyDepartment of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, ItalyDepartment of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, ItalyDepartment of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, ItalyDepartment of Neurosciences, Reproductive Science and Dentistry, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, ItalyDepartment of Neurosciences, Reproductive Science and Dentistry, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, ItalyDepartment of Neurosciences, Reproductive Science and Dentistry, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, ItalyDepartment of Translational Medical Sciences, University Federico II, 80131 Naples, ItalyDepartment of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, ItalyDepartment of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, ItalyDepartment of Neurosciences, Reproductive Science and Dentistry, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, ItalyDepartment of Neurosciences, Reproductive Science and Dentistry, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, ItalyDepartment of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, ItalyPregnancy is characterized by significant immunological changes and a cytokine profile, as well as vitamin deficiencies that can cause problems for the correct development of a fetus. Defensins are small antimicrobial peptides that are part of the innate immune system and are involved in several biological activities. Following that, this study aims to compare the levels of various cytokines and to investigate the role of defensins between pregnant women with confirmed COVID-19 infection and pregnant women without any defined risk factor. TNF-α, TGF-β, IL-2 and IL-10, β-defensins, have been evaluated by gene expression in our population. At the same time, by <i>ELISA assay</i> IL-6, IL-8, defensin alpha 1, defensin beta 1 and defensin beta 4 have been measured. The data obtained show that mothers affected by COVID-19 have an increase in pro-inflammatory factors (TNF-α, TGF-β, IL-2, IL-6, IL-8) compared to controls; this increase could generate a sort of “protection of the fetus” from virus attacks. Contemporarily, we have an increase in the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 and an increase in AMPs, which highlights how the mother’s body is responding to the viral attack. These results allow us to hypothesize a mechanism of “trafficking” of antimicrobial peptides from the mother to the fetus that would help the fetus to protect itself from the infection in progress.https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/23/7/3450defensinsCOVID-19pregnancyimmune systeminterleukinscoagulation |
| spellingShingle | Mariarita Brancaccio Cristina Mennitti Mariella Calvanese Alessandro Gentile Roberta Musto Giulia Gaudiello Giulia Scamardella Daniela Terracciano Giulia Frisso Raffaela Pero Laura Sarno Maurizio Guida Olga Scudiero Diagnostic and Therapeutic Potential for HNP-1, HBD-1 and HBD-4 in Pregnant Women with COVID-19 International Journal of Molecular Sciences defensins COVID-19 pregnancy immune system interleukins coagulation |
| title | Diagnostic and Therapeutic Potential for HNP-1, HBD-1 and HBD-4 in Pregnant Women with COVID-19 |
| title_full | Diagnostic and Therapeutic Potential for HNP-1, HBD-1 and HBD-4 in Pregnant Women with COVID-19 |
| title_fullStr | Diagnostic and Therapeutic Potential for HNP-1, HBD-1 and HBD-4 in Pregnant Women with COVID-19 |
| title_full_unstemmed | Diagnostic and Therapeutic Potential for HNP-1, HBD-1 and HBD-4 in Pregnant Women with COVID-19 |
| title_short | Diagnostic and Therapeutic Potential for HNP-1, HBD-1 and HBD-4 in Pregnant Women with COVID-19 |
| title_sort | diagnostic and therapeutic potential for hnp 1 hbd 1 and hbd 4 in pregnant women with covid 19 |
| topic | defensins COVID-19 pregnancy immune system interleukins coagulation |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/23/7/3450 |
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