Telomeres and oocyte maturation rate are not reduced by COVID-19 except in severe cases

Autores de IIS La Fe

• Lucia Chico Sordo

  Autor

• Alba María Polonio Ramírez

  Autor

• Isabel Córdova Oriz

  Autor

• Marta Medrano Fernandez

  Autor

• Sonia Herraiz Raya

  Autor

• Juan Antonio García Velasco

  Autor

Participantes ajenos a IIS La Fe

• Bronet F.
• Varela E.

Grupos

• Biología Reproductiva y Bioingeniería en Reproducción Humana

• Endocrinología Reproductiva e Infertilidad

• Medicina Fetal y Reproductiva

Abstract

In brief: COVID-19 does not affect the telomeres or fertility outcomes in mild cases. However, in women with severe symptoms, telomeres of granulosa cells are shorter, and the oocyte maturation rate is decreased. Abstract: The coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 causes COVID-19 disease and affects primarily the lungs and also other organs, causing accelerated cell aging. One of the main pathways involved in aging is telomere attrition, which ultimately leads to defective tissue regeneration and organ dysfunction. Indeed, short telomeres in aged people aggravate the COVID-19 symptoms, and COVID-19 survivors showed shorter telomeres in blood cells. The SARS-CoV-2 has been detected in testis, but the ovaries, which express the viral entry factors, have not been fully explored. Our objective was to analyze telomeres and reproductive outcomes in women who had COVID-19 and controls. In this prospective cohort study, granulosa cells (GCs) and blood were collected from 65 women. Telomere length (TL) was measured by high-throughput in situ hybridization. Mean TL of GCs and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) was alike in control and mild cases. However, mean TL of GCs was lower in severe cases compared to controls (P=0.017). Control and COVID groups had similar ovarian reserve and number of total oocytes after puncture. However, the oocyte maturation rate was lower in severe cases (P= 0.018). Interestingly, a positive correlation between the oocyte maturation rate and TL of GCs was found in the control group (P=0.024). Our findings point to a potential impact of the coronavirus infection on telomeres and reproductive outcomes in severe cases. This might be considered upon possible new SARS-CoV threats, to favor treatments that enhance oocyte maturation in women severely affected by coronavirus undergoing ART. 2022 Society for Reproduction and Fertility.

Keywords

• COVID-19; Female; Humans; Leukocytes, Mononuclear; Male; Oocytes; Prospective Studies; SARS-CoV-2; Telomere; choriogonadotropin alfa (drug); ganirelix; gonadorelin; human menopausal gonadotropin; recombinant follitropin; SARS-CoV-2 antibody; adult; Article; blood analysis; cohort analysis; confocal microscopy; controlled study; coronavirus disease 2019; disease severity; female; fertility parameters; follicular aspiration; granulosa cell; human; human cell; human tissue; immunoassay; in situ hybridization; major clinical study; observational study; oocyte maturation; oocyte number; oocyte retrieval; outcome assessment; ovarian reserve; peripheral blood mononuclear cell; prospective study; reproduction; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; symptom; telomere length; telomere shortening; tissue regeneration; vein puncture; virus entry; male; mononuclear cell; oocyte; telomere