圖1. https://scitechdaily.com/images/Fetus-in-Womb-1536x1152.jpg?ezimgfmt=ngcb2/notWebP
Australian researchers have discovered how COVID-19 can infect human placenta, revealing that the virus affects the syncytiotrophoblast cells, which are crucial for maintaining pregnancy. The study also found that anti-ACE2 antibodies and antiviral drugs can effectively prevent this infection, providing a significant advancement in understanding and potentially mitigating the effects of viral infections on pregnancy.
澳大利亞研究人員們發現，2019冠狀病毒症(COVID-19：Coronavirus Disease-19)如何感染人類胎盤。揭露了該病毒會影響，對維持妊娠至關重要的合體滋養層細胞。該項研究也發現，抗血管緊張素轉換酶2(ACE2：Angiotensin Converting Enzyme2)的抗體，及抗病毒藥物能有效預防這種感染。在瞭解及潛在上減輕病毒感染對妊娠的影響上，提供了重大進展。
Human skin cells reprogrammed into placental stem cells shows how COVID infects placenta — and how it can be stopped.
人類皮膚細胞經重新編碼指令序列成胎盤的幹細胞，展示了冠狀病毒症如何感染胎盤，以及如何能阻止它。
In a landmark study published today (July 13) in the journal Nature Cell Biology, Australian researchers, led by Professor Jose Polo from Monash University and the University of Adelaide and University of Melbourne’s Professor Kanta Subbarao from the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity (Doherty Institute), have revealed how COVID-19 can infect the human placenta.
在今天(2023年7月13日)，發表於《自然•細胞生物學》期刊的一項，具里程碑意義的研究中，由來自澳大利亞莫納什大學、阿德萊德大學的Jose Polo教授，及來自Peter Doherty感染暨免疫研究所(Doherty究所)的墨爾本大學Kanta Subbarao教授，所領導的澳大利亞研究人員們，揭露了COVID-19 如何感染人類胎盤。
Research has shown that COVID-19 infections during pregnancy may lead to adverse outcomes, but little is known about the mechanisms behind the effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnancy.
研究已經證實，懷孕期間感染COVID-19會導致不良後果。不過，有關懷孕期間，感染第二型嚴重急性呼吸系統徵候群-冠狀病毒(SARS-CoV-2：Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2)的影響背後機制，知之甚少。
圖2. https://scitechdaily.com/images/Placenta-Cells-Infected-SARS-CoV-2-Virus-1536x1536.jpg?ezimgfmt=ng:webp/ngcb2
感染SARS-CoV-2病毒(COVID-19，紅色)的胎盤細胞(合體滋養層，綠色);藍色區域是標記，多核合胞體滋養層的細胞核。
Placenta cells (syncytiotrophoblast, in green) infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus (COVID-19, in red); blue areas are cell nuclei labeling the multinucleated syncytiotrophoblasts.
The Australian research team grew placenta tissue in the lab, using a state-of-the-art method developed by Professor Polo and colleagues where human skin cells are “reprogrammed” into trophoblast stem cells (the cells that help a developing embryo attach to the wall of the uterus, forming part of the placenta).
該澳大利亞研究團隊，在實驗室中，培育了胎盤組織，使用了Polo教授及其同事們開發的最先進方法，將人類皮膚細胞“重新編碼指令序列”成滋養層幹細胞(協助發育中胚胎附著於胎盤，形成胎盤一部分的細胞)。
They found that ACE2, a protein that acts as the doorway for SARS-CoV-2 to enter organs such as the lung, is present in specific placental cells, like syncytiotrophoblasts (ST cells).
他們發現，ACE2是一種存在於，像合體滋養層細胞(ST細胞)中，起如同SARS-CoV-2進入諸如肺部等，器官之門戶作用的蛋白質。
Importantly, ST cells were susceptible to the virus – a major finding as these placental cells produce the key hormone for maintaining pregnancy (hCG).
重要的是，ST細胞對病毒敏感。這是一個重大發現，因為這些胎盤細胞，產生維持妊娠的關鍵激素(hCG)。
Dr. Joseph Chen, a stem cell biologist at Monash University and co-first author of the report, said this discovery explains several clinical reports indicating inflammation of the placenta due to COVID-19.
該項報告首要合撰人，莫納什大學幹細胞生物學家，Joseph Chen博士表示，此發現解釋了若干顯示，由於COVID-19引起炎症的臨床報告。
“We observed that SARS-CoV-2 infection led to a significant reduction in the survival and differentiation of ST cells, which in turn resulted in lower production of hCG,” he said. “It suggests that this is how COVID-19 could impact pregnancy, though further investigations are needed.”
他宣稱：「我們觀察到，SARS-CoV-2感染導致，在ST細胞的存活及分化上顯著降低，依序導致較低的hCG產量。這暗示，這就是COVID-19如何影響懷孕，不過需要進一步的調查研究。」
Virologist at Doherty Institute and co-first author of the study Dr Jessica Neil said, “our team also discovered that anti-ACE2 antibodies and antiviral drugs were effective in preventing SARS-CoV-2 infection and restoring normal ST differentiation and function”.
該項研究首要合撰人，Doherty研究所病毒學家，Jessica Neil博士宣稱：「我們的團隊也發現，在預防SARS-CoV-2感染及恢復正常之ST分化及功能上，抗ACE2的抗體及抗病毒藥物是有效的。」
Professor Subbarao said that this study is a significant advance for the broader understanding of viral infections in pregnancy.
Subbarao教授表示，這項研究就更廣泛瞭解，於妊娠期病毒感染而言，該項研究是一個重大進展。
“Our study provides valuable insights into the link between SARS-CoV-2 infection and placenta pathology. This is a game changer as we are now equipped to explore how the early placenta may be affected by other viruses as well,” she said.
她宣稱：「我們的研究為SARS-CoV-2感染與胎盤病理學之間的關聯性，提供了寶貴的洞察力。這是一場競賽的改變者，因為目前我們有能力，探索初期胎盤，也可能遭到其他病毒的影響。」
Professor Polo emphasized the importance of the research in establishing a platform to study early placental cell types.
Polo教授強調了該項研究，在建立一個平台，來研究初期胎盤細胞類型的重要性。
“This study not only helps us to understand what happens when the placenta is infected with the COVID-19 virus during pregnancy, it also means we have established a broader, scalable and tractable platform to study early placental cell types,” he said.
他宣稱：「這項研究不僅協助我們瞭解懷孕期間，胎盤感染COVID-19病毒時，發生什麼。這也意味著，我們已經建立了一個，更廣泛、可擴展且容易駕馭的平台，來研究初期胎盤細胞類型。」
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翻譯：許東榮
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