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Covill LE, Sendel A, Campbell TM, Piiroinen I, Enoksson SL, Borgström EW, Hansen S, Ma K, Marits P, Norlin AC, Smith CIE, Kåhlin J, Eriksson LI, Bergman P, Bryceson YT. Evaluation of Genetic or Cellular Impairments in Type I IFN Immunity in a Cohort of Young Adults with Critical COVID-19. J Clin Immunol 2024; 44:50. [PMID: 38231281 PMCID: PMC10794435 DOI: 10.1007/s10875-023-01641-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2024]
Abstract
Several genetic and immunological risk factors for severe COVID-19 have been identified, with monogenic conditions relating to 13 genes of type I interferon (IFN) immunity proposed to explain 4.8% of critical cases. However, previous cohorts have been clinically heterogeneous and were not subjected to thorough genetic and immunological analyses. We therefore aimed to systematically investigate the prevalence of rare genetic variants causing inborn errors of immunity (IEI) and functionally interrogate the type I IFN pathway in young adults that suffered from critical COVID-19 yet lacked comorbidities. We selected and clinically characterized a cohort of 38 previously healthy individuals under 50 years of age who were treated in intensive care units due to critical COVID-19. Blood samples were collected after convalescence. Two patients had IFN-α autoantibodies. Genome sequencing revealed very rare variants in the type I IFN pathway in 31.6% of the patients, which was similar to controls. Analyses of cryopreserved leukocytes did not indicate any defect in plasmacytoid dendritic cell sensing of TLR7 and TLR9 agonists in patients carrying variants in these pathways. However, lymphocyte STAT phosphorylation and protein upregulation upon IFN-α stimulation revealed three possible cases of impaired type I IFN signaling in carriers of rare variants. Together, our results suggest a strategy of functional screening followed by genome analyses and biochemical validation to uncover undiagnosed causes of critical COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- L E Covill
- Center for Hematology and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - A Sendel
- Division of Clinical Immunology and Transfusion Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - T M Campbell
- Center for Hematology and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - I Piiroinen
- Center for Hematology and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - S Lind Enoksson
- Division of Clinical Immunology and Transfusion Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - E Wahren Borgström
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - S Hansen
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - K Ma
- Center for Hematology and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - P Marits
- Division of Clinical Immunology and Transfusion Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - A C Norlin
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - C I E Smith
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - J Kåhlin
- Division of Perioperative Medicine and Intensive Care, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - L I Eriksson
- Division of Perioperative Medicine and Intensive Care, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - P Bergman
- Division of Clinical Immunology and Transfusion Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Y T Bryceson
- Center for Hematology and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.
- Division of Clinical Immunology and Transfusion Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
- Broegelmann Laboratory, Department of Clinical Sciences, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
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Ferrara F, Pecorelli A, Valacchi G. Redox Regulation of Nucleotide-Binding and Oligomerization Domain-Like Receptors Inflammasome. Antioxid Redox Signal 2023; 39:744-770. [PMID: 37440315 DOI: 10.1089/ars.2022.0180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/15/2023]
Abstract
Significance: Inflammasomes are multimeric complexes that, as part of the innate immune response, sense a wide range of pathogenic and sterile stimuli. They consist of three components, namely a sensor protein, an adaptor, and procaspase-1, which once activated result in secretion of proinflammatory interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-18 and, eventually, in a gasdermin D-dependent lytic cell death called pyroptosis. Recent Advances: Since their discovery 20 years ago, the molecular mechanisms underlying the regulation of inflammasomes have been extensively studied. Oxidative stress appears as a major contributor to modulate inflammasomes, especially NLRP3 as well as NLRP1, NLRP6, and NLRC4. Growing evidence supports the idea that the positive feedback between redox imbalance and inflammasome-driven inflammation fuels an OxInflammatory state in a variety of human pathologies. Critical Issues: The current knowledge about the redox signaling pathways involved in inflammasomes activation and functions are here highlighted. In addition, we discuss the role of this complex molecular network interaction in the onset and progression of pathological conditions including neurological and metabolic diseases as well as skin disorders, also with an insight on COVID-19-related pathology. Finally, the therapeutic strategies able to mitigate the redox-mediated inflammasome activation with synthetic and natural compounds as well as by acting on inflammasome-related post-translational modifications and microRNAs are also addressed. Future Directions: Further investigations leading to a deeper understanding of the reciprocal interaction between inflammasomes and reactive oxygen species will help identify other molecular targets for modulating their hyperactivated state, and to design novel therapeutics for chronic OxInflammatory conditions. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 39, 744-770.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Ferrara
- Department of Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Agricultural Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Alessandra Pecorelli
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Prevention, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
- Plants for Human Health Institute, Animal Science Dept., North Carolina State University, Kannapolis, North Carolina, USA
| | - Giuseppe Valacchi
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Prevention, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
- Plants for Human Health Institute, Animal Science Dept., North Carolina State University, Kannapolis, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Food and Nutrition, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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ACE2 overexpressing mesenchymal stem cells alleviates COVID-19 lung injury by inhibiting pyroptosis. iScience 2022; 25:104046. [PMID: 35287354 PMCID: PMC8907105 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.104046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Revised: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have shown some efficacy in the COVID-19 treatment. We proposed that exogenous supplementation of ACE2 via MSCs (ACE2-MSCs) might have better therapeutic effects. We constructed SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein stably transfected AT-II and Beas-2B cells and used SARS-CoV-2 spike pseudovirus to infect hACE2 transgenic mice. The results showed that spike glycoprotein transfection triggers the release of apoptotic bodies and formation of membrane pores in pyroptosis. Inflammatory factors and pyroptosis factors were highly upregulated by spike glycoprotein transfection. SARS-CoV-2 spike pseudovirus worsened lung injury and increased the main factors of cytokine storm and pyroptosis. Compared to using MSCs or rh-ACE2 alone, the administration of ACE2-MSCs could significantly reduce these factors better and alleviate lung injury in vivo and in vitro, which might be because of the increased activities of secretory ACE2. Our proposal is a promising therapeutic solution for preclinical or clinical research.
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