Fetal cell microchimerism and susceptibility to COVID-19 disease in women.

<p>Dataset of&nbsp; "Cirello V, Lugaresi M, Manzo A, Balla E, Fratianni G, Solari F, Persani L, Fugazzola L, Campi I. Fetal cell microchimerism and susceptibility to COVID-19 disease in women. Infection. 2023;51:1071-1078. doi: 10.1007/s15010-023-02006-x."</p> <p>Abstract<br>Purpose The clinical outcome of COVID-19 disease is worse in males, and the reasons of this gender disparity are currently unclear, though evidences point to a combination of biological and gender-specifc factors. A phenomenon unique to<br>the female gender is the fetal cell microchimerism (FCM), defned as the presence of fetal microchimeric cells in maternal<br>organs and in the circulation for years after delivery and usually evaluated by assessing the presence of male cells or DNA<br>in a woman. In the present case&ndash;control study, we aimed to evaluate the possible efect of pregnancy and related FCM on<br>the susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection and on the clinical course and outcome of COVID-19.<br>Methods One hundred twenty-three women with a previous male pregnancy, comprising 63 COVID-19 cases and 60 healthy<br>controls were enrolled. The presence of blood male DNA was assessed by the amplifcation of the Y-chromosome specifc<br>gene SRY.<br>Results The prevalence of male DNA of presumed fetal origin was signifcantly higher in healthy controls than in COVID-19<br>cases (70 vs 44.4%, P=0.0044; OR 0.3429, 95% CI 0.1631&ndash;0.7207, P=0.0047). Among women afected with COVID-19,<br>the presence of male FCM did not signifcantly infuence the severity of the disease, though the 8 deceased women studied<br>were all FCM negative.<br>Conclusion This is the frst case&ndash;control study reporting the prevalence of FCM in COVID-19 and healthy women. Overall,<br>our data seem to suggest a role for FCM in the protection towards the SARS-CoV-2 infection with a possible positive impact<br>on clinical outcome.</p>