maternal-immunity
Maternal immunity in plants refers to the transfer of defense-related compounds, signals, or epigenetic information from a mother plant to her offspring, priming the next generation for resistance to pathogens or environmental stresses. This phenomenon has significant implications for plant science as it reveals that immunity can be inherited through non-genetic mechanisms, expanding our understanding of how plants adapt and respond to threats across generations. Studying maternal immunity helps researchers develop strategies for breeding more resilient crops without relying solely on genetic modification.
open_in_new WikipediaPubMed · 2026-04-13
A study of 761 pregnant women found that COVID-19 rarely infects placental tissue in the first trimester, yet still triggers significant immune disruption at the maternal-fetal interface that may harm pregnancy outcomes.
SARS-CoV-2 was detected at low levels in placental tissues from 761 first-trimester pregnancies, with single-cell analysis showing no significant co-expression of ACE2 and TMPRSS2 entry receptors.
Maternal infection significantly elevated immune markers IL-31, IL-5, and GRO-α during acute infection, while increased IgG antibody levels were negatively correlated with TNF-β, suggesting a protective antibody effect.
Infection disrupted WNT and TGF-β signaling pathways in trophoblast cells and altered their differentiation trajectories, despite the virus being largely absent from placental tissue.