Hepatitis C, Infection Transmission, Maternal-Fetal
Conditions
Keywords
Hepatitis C (HCV), Infection Transmission, Maternal-Fetal, Placenta, Trophoblast
Brief summary
To evaluate for the presence of HCV Core protein, HCV RNA and SPP in the placenta and fetal membranes using paraffin-embedded sections and post-delivery specimens respectively. In parallel, we will assess placental tissue for evidence of HCV infection using a novel in situ hybridization technique and translate our in vitro findings to these in vivo samples. Our overall hypothesis is that cytotrophoblasts at the maternal-fetal interface within the placenta serve as a barrier that must be crossed during vertical transmission and that cytotrophoblasts are permissive to HCV at a low level that may be enhanced under certain conditions. By comparing the regulation of key steps in the intracellular life cycle of HCV in cytotrophoblasts to highly permissive hepatocytes, significant differences in HCV regulation should be revealed. Based on our preliminary data, our working hypothesis is that HCV Core protein is differentially processed in cytotrophoblasts compared to hepatocytes.
Interventions
None listed
Sponsors
University of Maryland
Cairo University
Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Study design
Observational model
CASE_CONTROL
Time perspective
CROSS_SECTIONAL
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
FEMALE
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Pregnant women with HCV infection * Pregnant women without HCV infection
Exclusion criteria
* None
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| To evaluate for the presence of HCV Core protein, HCV RNA and SPP in the placenta and fetal membranes using paraffin-embedded sections and post-delivery specimens respectively. | 1 year | We will begin by examining paraffin-embedded sections from HCV-infected mothers who had the placentas sent to pathology for analysis.We will perform a combination of immunohistochemistry (IHC) and immunofluorescence (IF) to analyze the level of SPP expression in the trophoblast cell layer, as well as if HCV Core protein expression was detectable in this layer or in any cell type within the placental section. We would also plan to identify other patient-derived tissues that were not paraffin embedded, both from uninfected patients and infected patients to validate different parts of our preliminary data. We would plan to use dissected fetal membranes, which contain both chorion and amnion, to investigate the level of SPP expression in these tissues. |
Countries
Egypt, United States
Outcome results
None listed