Clinical manifestations of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in pregnant women are diverse, and little is known of the impact of the disease on placental physiology. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) has been detected in the human placenta, and its binding receptor ACE2 is present in a variety of placental cells, including endothelium. Here, we analyze the impact of COVID-19 in placental endothelium, studying by immunofluorescence the expression of von Willebrand factor (vWf), claudin-5, and vascular endothelial (VE) cadherin in the decidua and chorionic villi of placentas from women with mild and severe COVID-19 in comparison to healthy controls. Our results indicate that: (1) vWf expression increases in the endothelium of decidua and chorionic villi of placentas derived from women with COVID-19, being higher in severe cases; (2) Claudin-5 and VE-cadherin expression decrease in the decidua and chorionic villus of placentas from women with severe COVID-19 but not in those with mild disease. Placental histological analysis reveals thrombosis, infarcts, and vascular wall remodeling, confirming the deleterious effect of COVID-19 on placental vessels. Together, these results suggest that placentas from women with COVID-19 have a condition of leaky endothelium and thrombosis, which is sensitive to disease severity.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.