Spatial analysis of placentae during congenital cytomegalovirus infection suggests distinct cellular profiles in immune and trophoblast cells: an exploratory study
9 affiliations
- 1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States
- 2Mayo Clinic Vaccine Research Group, Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States
- 3Department of Pediatrics, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States
- 4Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States
- 5Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States
- 6Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry, and Immunology, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
- 7Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN, United States
- 8Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States
- 9Division of Immunology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Biomedical Research Institute, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
Abstract
Introduction: Human cytomegalovirus (CMV) is the leading infectious cause of congenital birth defects worldwide. The placenta is a major route of vertical transmission, and both immune and trophoblast cells are susceptible to CMV infection. This study aimed to spatially characterize gene and protein expression changes associated with CMV infection in the human placenta.
Methods: In this exploratory study, CMV+ and control placentae were analyzed using the NanoString GeoMx Digital Spatial Profiler to assess compartment-specific transcriptomic and proteomic profiles in trophoblast and immune cell populations.
Results: CMV+ placentae showed increased immune activation in both trophoblast and immune cells, including pathways related to immune-cell proliferation, differentiation, lymphopoiesis, and T-cell development. Infected placentae also showed altered tissue repair and remodeling pathways, along with changes in proapoptotic proteins and cell death-associated transcripts.
Discussion: Given the limited sample size, these findings are descriptive and hypothesis-generating. They provide preliminary insight into CMV-associated placental immune dysregulation and identify candidate pathways for investigation in larger, prospective studies.
Related
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BibTeX
@article{sintimaboagye2026spatial,
title = {{Spatial analysis of placentae during congenital cytomegalovirus infection suggests distinct cellular profiles in immune and trophoblast cells: an exploratory study}},
author = {Elise Sintim-Aboagye and Huy Quang Quach and Indrani Mukherjee and Will Sherman and Katelyn T. Nguyen and Neil Ferland and Sheila Farnan and Kamila Otrubova and Namisha Verma and Dawn Littlefield and Sohan Punia and Erica Johnson and Mark Blackstad and Mark R. Schleiss and Andrew P. Norgan and Clive M. Gray and Elizabeth Ann L. Enninga and Rana Chakraborty},
journal = {Frontiers in Immunology},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3389/fimmu.2026.1885923},
url = {https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2026.1885923},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Spatial analysis of placentae during congenital cytomegalovirus infection suggests distinct cellular profiles in immune and trophoblast cells: an exploratory study
AU - Elise Sintim-Aboagye
AU - Huy Quang Quach
AU - Indrani Mukherjee
AU - Will Sherman
AU - Katelyn T. Nguyen
AU - Neil Ferland
AU - Sheila Farnan
AU - Kamila Otrubova
AU - Namisha Verma
AU - Dawn Littlefield
AU - Sohan Punia
AU - Erica Johnson
AU - Mark Blackstad
AU - Mark R. Schleiss
AU - Andrew P. Norgan
AU - Clive M. Gray
AU - Elizabeth Ann L. Enninga
AU - Rana Chakraborty
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/12
JO - Frontiers in Immunology
DO - 10.3389/fimmu.2026.1885923
UR - https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2026.1885923
AB - Introduction: Human cytomegalovirus (CMV) is the leading infectious cause of congenital birth defects worldwide. The placenta is a major route of vertical transmission, and both immune and trophoblast cells are susceptible to CMV infection. This study aimed to spatially characterize gene and protein expression changes associated with CMV infection in the human placenta. Methods: In this exploratory study, CMV+ and control placentae were analyzed using the NanoString GeoMx Digital Spatial Profiler to assess compartment-specific transcriptomic and proteomic profiles in trophoblast and immune cell populations. Results: CMV+ placentae showed increased immune activation in both trophoblast and immune cells, including pathways related to immune-cell proliferation, differentiation, lymphopoiesis, and T-cell development. Infected placentae also showed altered tissue repair and remodeling pathways, along with changes in proapoptotic proteins and cell death-associated transcripts. Discussion: Given the limited sample size, these findings are descriptive and hypothesis-generating. They provide preliminary insight into CMV-associated placental immune dysregulation and identify candidate pathways for investigation in larger, prospective studies.
SN - 1664-3224
ER -