{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,27]],"date-time":"2025-11-27T13:56:41Z","timestamp":1764251801133,"version":"build-2065373602"},"reference-count":49,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2023,1,16]],"date-time":"2023-01-16T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1673827200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"POR CAMPANIA FESR 2014\u20132020 \u201cCaratterizzazione Bio-Molecolare del virus SARS-CoV-2 e dei cofattori dell\u2019infiammazione implicati nella patogenesi della COVID-19\u201d"},{"name":"CTB ISS Sanit\u00e0 SARS-CoV-2"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Microorganisms"],"abstract":"<jats:p>COVID-19 is characterized by the immune system\u2019s overreaction resulting in a \u2018cytokine storm\u2019, consisting in a massive release of cytokine into the bloodstream, leading to local and systemic inflammatory response. This clinical picture is further complicated in case of infection of patients with a peculiar immunological status, such as pregnancy. In this paper, we focused on Interferon-\u03b3, which plays a pivotal immunomodulatory role in normal pregnancy and fetal development, as well as in defense against pathogens. In this study, we compared the levels of Interferon-\u03b3 and the Interferon autoantibodies of the peripheral and cord blood of pregnant women with confirmed mild COVID-19 and healthy pregnant women. The Interferon-\u03b3 was significantly lower both in the peripheral and cord blood of SARS-CoV-2-positive mothers, suggesting that infection can affect the fetal microenvironment even without severe maternal symptoms. In conclusion, further studies are needed to clarify whether lower levels of Interferon-\u03b3 due to SARS-CoV-2 infection affect the development or infection susceptibility of infants born to SARS-CoV-2-infected mothers.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/microorganisms11010223","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2023,1,16]],"date-time":"2023-01-16T03:10:34Z","timestamp":1673838634000},"page":"223","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":7,"title":["Low Interferon-\u03b3 Levels in Cord and Peripheral Blood of Pregnant Women Infected with SARS-CoV-2"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"11","author":[{"given":"Michele","family":"Cennamo","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Translational Medical Science, University of Naples \u201cFederico II\u201d, 80138 Naples, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0543-9031","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Evelina","family":"La Civita","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Translational Medical Science, University of Naples \u201cFederico II\u201d, 80138 Naples, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0454-7946","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Laura","family":"Sarno","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Neurosciences, Reproductive Science and Dentistry, University of Naples \u201cFederico II\u201d, 80131 Naples, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Gianluigi","family":"Carbone","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Translational Medical Science, University of Naples \u201cFederico II\u201d, 80138 Naples, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Sarah","family":"Di Somma","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Translational Medical Science, University of Naples \u201cFederico II\u201d, 80138 Naples, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Serena","family":"Cabaro","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Translational Medical Science, University of Naples \u201cFederico II\u201d, 80138 Naples, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Jacopo","family":"Troisi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry, \u201cScuola Medica Salernitana\u201d, University of Salerno, 84081 Baronissi, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0593-9063","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Angelo","family":"Sirico","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Neurosciences, Reproductive Science and Dentistry, University of Naples \u201cFederico II\u201d, 80131 Naples, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6660-0955","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Francesco Paolo","family":"Improda","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Ospedale San Pio-PO G Rummo, 82100 Benevento, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Maurizio","family":"Guida","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Neurosciences, Reproductive Science and Dentistry, University of Naples \u201cFederico II\u201d, 80131 Naples, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4296-429X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Daniela","family":"Terracciano","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Translational Medical Science, University of Naples \u201cFederico II\u201d, 80138 Naples, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8276-9769","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Giuseppe","family":"Portella","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Translational Medical Science, University of Naples \u201cFederico II\u201d, 80138 Naples, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2023,1,16]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2000180","DOI":"10.2807\/1560-7917.ES.2020.25.10.2000180","article-title":"Estimating the asymptomatic proportion of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases on board the Diamond Princess cruise ship, Yokohama, Japan, 2020","volume":"25","author":"Mizumoto","year":"2020","journal-title":"Eurosurveillance"},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"154","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijid.2020.03.020","article-title":"Estimation of the asymptomatic ratio of novel coronavirus infections (COVID-19)","volume":"94","author":"Nishiura","year":"2020","journal-title":"Int. J. Infect. Dis."},{"key":"ref_3","first-page":"4607","article-title":"Clinical display, diagnostics and genetic implication of novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemic","volume":"24","author":"Forouzesh","year":"2020","journal-title":"Eur. Rev. Med. Pharmacol. Sci."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"138882","DOI":"10.1016\/j.scitotenv.2020.138882","article-title":"COVID-19 outbreak: Migration, effects on society, global environment and prevention","volume":"728","author":"Chakraborty","year":"2020","journal-title":"Sci. Total Environ."},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Gorbalenya, A.E., Baker, S.C., Baric, R.S., de Groot, R.J., Drosten, C., Gulyaeva, A.A., Haagmans, B.L., Lauber, C., Leontovich, A.M., and Neuman, B.W. Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus: The species and its viruses\u2014A statement of the Coronavirus Study Group. BioRxiv, 2020.","DOI":"10.1101\/2020.02.07.937862"},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"17","DOI":"10.1002\/JLB.3COVR0520-272R","article-title":"Cytokine storm and leukocyte changes in mild versus severe SARS-CoV-2 infection: Review of 3939 COVID-19 patients in China and emerging pathogenesis and therapy concepts","volume":"108","author":"Wang","year":"2020","journal-title":"J. Leukoc. Biol."},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1564","DOI":"10.1111\/all.14364","article-title":"Immune response to SARS-CoV-2 and mechanisms of immunopathological changes in COVID-19","volume":"75","author":"Azkur","year":"2020","journal-title":"Allergy"},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e000406","DOI":"10.1136\/fmch-2020-000406","article-title":"Clinicopathological characteristics of 8697 patients with COVID-19 in China: A meta-analysis","volume":"8","author":"Zhu","year":"2020","journal-title":"Fam. Med. Community Health"},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"598","DOI":"10.1097\/CCM.0000000000004895","article-title":"The Surviving Sepsis Campaign: Research Priorities for Coronavirus Disease 2019 in Critical Illness","volume":"49","author":"Coopersmith","year":"2021","journal-title":"Crit. Care Med."},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1017","DOI":"10.1038\/s41591-020-0968-3","article-title":"Extrapulmonary manifestations of COVID-19","volume":"26","author":"Gupta","year":"2020","journal-title":"Nat. Med."},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"469","DOI":"10.1038\/nri.2017.64","article-title":"The unique immunological and microbial aspects of pregnancy","volume":"17","author":"Mor","year":"2017","journal-title":"Nat. Rev. Immunol."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"848","DOI":"10.1095\/biolreprod.108.073353","article-title":"Interferon Gamma in Successful Pregnancies","volume":"80","author":"Murphy","year":"2009","journal-title":"Biol. Reprod."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"415","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ajog.2020.02.017","article-title":"Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) and pregnancy: What obstetricians need to know","volume":"222","author":"Rasmussen","year":"2020","journal-title":"Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol."},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"425","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1600-0897.2010.00836.x","article-title":"The Immune System in Pregnancy: A Unique Complexity","volume":"63","author":"Mor","year":"2010","journal-title":"Am. J. Reprod. Immunol."},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3","DOI":"10.1016\/j.bpobgyn.2022.05.007","article-title":"Respiratory physiology in pregnancy and assessment of pulmonary function","volume":"85","author":"LoMauro","year":"2022","journal-title":"Best Pract. Res. Clin. Obstet. Gynaecol."},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"551","DOI":"10.1136\/jclinpath-2021-207516","article-title":"Evaluation of a fully closed real time PCR platform for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 in nasopharyngeal swabs: A pilot study","volume":"75","author":"Gragnano","year":"2022","journal-title":"J. Clin. Pathol."},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"155431","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cyto.2021.155431","article-title":"The impact of COVID-19 infection on the cytokine profile of pregnant women: A prospective case-control study","volume":"140","author":"Tanacan","year":"2021","journal-title":"Cytokine"},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"718","DOI":"10.1126\/science.abc6027","article-title":"Impaired type I interferon activity and inflammatory responses in severe COVID-19 patients","volume":"369","author":"Hadjadj","year":"2020","journal-title":"Science"},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1033","DOI":"10.1016\/S0140-6736(20)30628-0","article-title":"COVID-19: Consider cytokine storm syndromes and immunosuppression","volume":"395","author":"Mehta","year":"2020","journal-title":"Lancet"},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"420","DOI":"10.1016\/S2213-2600(20)30076-X","article-title":"Pathological findings of COVID-19 associated with acute respiratory distress syndrome","volume":"8","author":"Xu","year":"2020","journal-title":"Lancet Respir. Med."},{"key":"ref_21","unstructured":"Chakraborty, R.K., and Burns, B. (2022). Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome, in StatPearls, StatPearls Publishing LLC."},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"117900","DOI":"10.1016\/j.lfs.2020.117900","article-title":"The immune system and COVID-19: Friend or foe?","volume":"256","author":"Yazdanpanah","year":"2020","journal-title":"Life Sci."},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1038\/s41598-021-00190-0","article-title":"Cytokine signature and COVID-19 prediction models in the two waves of pandemics","volume":"11","author":"Cabaro","year":"2021","journal-title":"Sci. Rep."},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"507","DOI":"10.1016\/S0140-6736(20)30211-7","article-title":"Epidemiological and clinical characteristics of 99 cases of 2019 novel coronavirus pneumonia in Wuhan, China: A descriptive study","volume":"395","author":"Chen","year":"2020","journal-title":"Lancet"},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"5490","DOI":"10.4049\/jimmunol.181.8.5490","article-title":"T Cell Responses to Whole SARS Coronavirus in Humans","volume":"181","author":"Li","year":"2008","journal-title":"J. Immunol."},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"497","DOI":"10.1016\/S0140-6736(20)30183-5","article-title":"Clinical features of patients infected with 2019 novel coronavirus in Wuhan, China","volume":"395","author":"Huang","year":"2020","journal-title":"Lancet"},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1061","DOI":"10.1001\/jama.2020.1585","article-title":"Clinical Characteristics of 138 Hospitalized Patients With 2019 Novel Coronavirus\u2014Infected Pneumonia in Wuhan, China","volume":"323","author":"Wang","year":"2020","journal-title":"JAMA"},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Curbelo, J., Bueno, S.L., Galv\u00e1n-Rom\u00e1n, J.M., Ortega-G\u00f3mez, M., Rajas, O., Fern\u00e1ndez-Jim\u00e9nez, G., Vega-Piris, L., Rodr\u00edguez-Salvanes, F., Arnalich, B., and D\u00edaz, A. (2019). Correction: Inflammation biomarkers in blood as mortality predictors in community-acquired pneumonia admitted patients: Importance of comparison with neutrophil count percentage or neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio. PLoS ONE, 14.","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0212915"},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"907","DOI":"10.1016\/j.immuni.2019.03.025","article-title":"Shared and Distinct Functions of Type I and Type III Interferons","volume":"50","author":"Lazear","year":"2019","journal-title":"Immunity"},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3","DOI":"10.1089\/vim.2019.0076","article-title":"Protective and Pathogenic Effects of Interferon Signaling During Pregnancy","volume":"33","author":"Casazza","year":"2020","journal-title":"Viral Immunol."},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1357","DOI":"10.1093\/humrep\/deh169","article-title":"Maternal serum levels of interferon-gamma and interleukin-2 soluble receptor-alpha predict the outcome of early IVF pregnancies","volume":"19","author":"Fasouliotis","year":"2004","journal-title":"Hum. Reprod."},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"176","DOI":"10.1016\/S0012-1606(03)00210-0","article-title":"Gestation stage-dependent intrauterine trophoblast cell invasion in the rat and mouse: Novel endocrine phenotype and regulation","volume":"260","author":"Ain","year":"2003","journal-title":"Dev. Biol."},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"259","DOI":"10.1084\/jem.192.2.259","article-title":"Interferon gamma contributes to initiation of uterine vascular modification, decidual integrity, and uterine natural killer cell maturation during normal murine pregnancy","volume":"192","author":"Ashkar","year":"2000","journal-title":"J. Exp. Med."},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3933","DOI":"10.1182\/blood-2011-12-395707","article-title":"Anti-CD20 (rituximab) therapy for anti-IFN-gamma autoantibody-associated nontuberculous myco-bacterial infection","volume":"119","author":"Browne","year":"2012","journal-title":"Blood"},{"key":"ref_35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"48","DOI":"10.1080\/25785826.2021.1914962","article-title":"Anti-interferon-gamma autoantibody related disseminated nontuberculous mycobacteriosis with pathological features of immunoglobulin G4-related disease","volume":"45","author":"Nagamura","year":"2022","journal-title":"Immunol. Med."},{"key":"ref_36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1038\/s41598-022-13289-9","article-title":"Gut microbiome profiles and associated metabolic pathways in patients of adult-onset immunodeficiency with anti-interferon-gamma autoantibodies","volume":"12","author":"Hsieh","year":"2022","journal-title":"Sci. Rep."},{"key":"ref_37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"545","DOI":"10.1038\/s41577-018-0029-z","article-title":"IFN\u03b3: Signalling, epigenetics and roles in immunity, metabolism, disease and cancer immunotherapy","volume":"18","author":"Ivashkiv","year":"2018","journal-title":"Nat. Rev. Immunol."},{"key":"ref_38","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"41","DOI":"10.1016\/j.imlet.2014.06.013","article-title":"The immunology of pregnancy: Regulatory T cells control maternal immune tolerance toward the fetus","volume":"162","author":"Carbone","year":"2014","journal-title":"Immunol. Lett."},{"key":"ref_39","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1239","DOI":"10.1093\/cid\/cix996","article-title":"Clinical Significance of Interferon-gamma Neutralizing Autoantibodies Against Disseminated Nontuberculous Mycobacterial Disease","volume":"66","author":"Aoki","year":"2018","journal-title":"Clin. Infect. Dis."},{"key":"ref_40","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1152","DOI":"10.1007\/s10156-013-0572-2","article-title":"Disseminated Mycobacterium avium complex infection in a patient carrying autoantibody to interferon-gamma","volume":"19","author":"Ishii","year":"2013","journal-title":"J. Infect. Chemother."},{"key":"ref_41","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"118","DOI":"10.1007\/s10156-008-0662-8","article-title":"Anti-interferon-gamma autoantibody in a patient with disseminated Mycobacterium avium complex","volume":"15","author":"Koya","year":"2009","journal-title":"J. Infect. Chemother."},{"key":"ref_42","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Deng, J., Ma, Y., Liu, Q., Du, M., Liu, M., and Liu, J. (2022). Association of Infection with Different SARS-CoV-2 Variants during Pregnancy with Maternal and Perinatal Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, 19.","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph192315932"},{"key":"ref_43","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"52","DOI":"10.5339\/qmj.2022.52","article-title":"Q-PRECIOUS group Maternal risk factors of COVID-19-affected pregnancies: A comparative analysis of symptomatic and asymptomatic COVID-19 from the Q-PRECIOUS registry","volume":"2022","author":"Minisha","year":"2022","journal-title":"Qatar Med. J."},{"key":"ref_44","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Asalkar, M.R., Thakkarwad, S.M., Bacchewad, R.P., and Sharma, N.H. (2022). Perinatal Outcome in Maternal COVID-19 infection at a Tertiary care Institute- A cross Sectional Study. J. Obstet. Gynecol. India, 1\u20139.","DOI":"10.1007\/s13224-022-01673-4"},{"key":"ref_45","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2842","DOI":"10.1007\/s43032-021-00809-7","article-title":"The N501Y Mutation of SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein Impairs Spindle Assembly in Mouse Oocytes","volume":"29","author":"Liu","year":"2022","journal-title":"Reprod. Sci."},{"key":"ref_46","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2103","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cell.2022.04.035","article-title":"Virological characteristics of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.2 spike","volume":"185","author":"Yamasoba","year":"2022","journal-title":"Cell"},{"key":"ref_47","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2587","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cell.2021.03.052","article-title":"Emergence and rapid transmission of SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.7 in the United States","volume":"184","author":"Washington","year":"2021","journal-title":"Cell"},{"key":"ref_48","first-page":"24","article-title":"COVID-19 Genomics UK (COG-UK) Consortium: Final Report","volume":"9","author":"Marjanovic","year":"2022","journal-title":"Rand. Health Q."},{"key":"ref_49","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"266","DOI":"10.1038\/s41586-021-03470-x","article-title":"Assessing transmissibility of SARS-CoV-2 lineage B.1.1.7 in England","volume":"593","author":"Volz","year":"2021","journal-title":"Nature"}],"container-title":["Microorganisms"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2076-2607\/11\/1\/223\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,10]],"date-time":"2025-10-10T18:06:59Z","timestamp":1760119619000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2076-2607\/11\/1\/223"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2023,1,16]]},"references-count":49,"journal-issue":{"issue":"1","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2023,1]]}},"alternative-id":["microorganisms11010223"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/microorganisms11010223","relation":{},"ISSN":["2076-2607"],"issn-type":[{"type":"electronic","value":"2076-2607"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2023,1,16]]}}}