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Cabrera LE, Jokiranta ST, Mäki S, Miettinen S, Kant R, Kareinen L, Sironen T, Pietilä JP, Kantele A, Kekäläinen E, Lindgren H, Mattila P, Kipar A, Vapalahti O, Strandin T. The assembly of neutrophil inflammasomes during COVID-19 is mediated by type I interferons. PLoS Pathog 2024; 20:e1012368. [PMID: 39172744 PMCID: PMC11340896 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1012368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 06/24/2024] [Indexed: 08/24/2024] Open
Abstract
The severity of COVID-19 is linked to excessive inflammation. Neutrophils represent a critical arm of the innate immune response and are major mediators of inflammation, but their role in COVID-19 pathophysiology remains poorly understood. We conducted transcriptomic profiling of neutrophils obtained from patients with mild and severe COVID-19, as well as from SARS-CoV-2 infected mice, in comparison to non-infected healthy controls. In addition, we investigated the inflammasome formation potential in neutrophils from patients and mice upon SARS-CoV-2 infection. Transcriptomic analysis of polymorphonuclear cells (PMNs), consisting mainly of mature neutrophils, revealed a striking type I interferon (IFN-I) gene signature in severe COVID-19 patients, contrasting with mild COVID-19 and healthy controls. Notably, low-density granulocytes (LDGs) from severe COVID-19 patients exhibited an immature neutrophil phenotype and lacked this IFN-I signature. Moreover, PMNs from severe COVID-19 patients showed heightened nigericin-induced caspase1 activation, but reduced responsiveness to exogenous inflammasome priming. Furthermore, IFN-I emerged as a priming stimulus for neutrophil inflammasomes. These findings suggest a potential role for neutrophil inflammasomes in driving inflammation during severe COVID-19. Altogether, these findings open promising avenues for targeted therapeutic interventions to mitigate the pathological processes associated with the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luz E. Cabrera
- Viral Zoonosis Research Unit, Medicum, Department of Virology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Suvi T. Jokiranta
- Department of Bacteriology and Immunology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Translational Immunology Research Program, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Sanna Mäki
- Viral Zoonosis Research Unit, Medicum, Department of Virology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Simo Miettinen
- Viral Zoonosis Research Unit, Medicum, Department of Virology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Ravi Kant
- Viral Zoonosis Research Unit, Medicum, Department of Virology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Tropical Parasitology, Institute of Maritime and Tropical Medicine, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdynia, Poland
| | - Lauri Kareinen
- Viral Zoonosis Research Unit, Medicum, Department of Virology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Tarja Sironen
- Viral Zoonosis Research Unit, Medicum, Department of Virology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Jukka-Pekka Pietilä
- Human Microbiome Research Program, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Meilahti Vaccine Research Center MeVac, Department of Infectious Diseases, Inflammation Center, Helsinki University Hospital and University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Anu Kantele
- Human Microbiome Research Program, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Meilahti Vaccine Research Center MeVac, Department of Infectious Diseases, Inflammation Center, Helsinki University Hospital and University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Eliisa Kekäläinen
- Department of Bacteriology and Immunology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Translational Immunology Research Program, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Division of Virology and Immunology, HUSLAB Clinical Microbiology, HUS Diagnostic Center, Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Hanna Lindgren
- Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland (FIMM), HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Pirkko Mattila
- Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland (FIMM), HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Anja Kipar
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Laboratory for Animal Model Pathology, Institute of Veterinary Pathology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Department of Infection Biology & Microbiomes, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Olli Vapalahti
- Viral Zoonosis Research Unit, Medicum, Department of Virology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Division of Virology and Immunology, HUSLAB Clinical Microbiology, HUS Diagnostic Center, Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Tomas Strandin
- Viral Zoonosis Research Unit, Medicum, Department of Virology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
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Panteleev MA, Sveshnikova AN, Shakhidzhanov SS, Zamaraev AV, Ataullakhanov FI, Rumyantsev AG. The Ways of the Virus: Interactions of Platelets and Red Blood Cells with SARS-CoV-2, and Their Potential Pathophysiological Significance in COVID-19. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:17291. [PMID: 38139118 PMCID: PMC10743882 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242417291] [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: 11/15/2023] [Revised: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The hematological effects of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) are important in COVID-19 pathophysiology. However, the interactions of SARS-CoV-2 with platelets and red blood cells are still poorly understood. There are conflicting data regarding the mechanisms and significance of these interactions. The aim of this review is to put together available data and discuss hypotheses, the known and suspected effects of the virus on these blood cells, their pathophysiological and diagnostic significance, and the potential role of platelets and red blood cells in the virus's transport, propagation, and clearance by the immune system. We pay particular attention to the mutual activation of platelets, the immune system, the endothelium, and blood coagulation and how this changes with the evolution of SARS-CoV-2. There is now convincing evidence that platelets, along with platelet and erythroid precursors (but not mature erythrocytes), are frequently infected by SARS-CoV-2 and functionally changed. The mechanisms of infection of these cells and their role are not yet entirely clear. Still, the changes in platelets and red blood cells in COVID-19 are significantly associated with disease severity and are likely to have prognostic and pathophysiological significance in the development of thrombotic and pulmonary complications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mikhail A. Panteleev
- Department of Medical Physics, Physics Faculty, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 1 Leninskie Gory, 119991 Moscow, Russia
- Dmitry Rogachev National Medical Research Center of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Immunology, Ministry of Healthcare of Russian Federation, 1 Samory Mashela, 117198 Moscow, Russia
- Center for Theoretical Problems of Physicochemical Pharmacology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 30 Srednyaya Kalitnikovskaya Str., 109029 Moscow, Russia
| | - Anastasia N. Sveshnikova
- Dmitry Rogachev National Medical Research Center of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Immunology, Ministry of Healthcare of Russian Federation, 1 Samory Mashela, 117198 Moscow, Russia
- Center for Theoretical Problems of Physicochemical Pharmacology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 30 Srednyaya Kalitnikovskaya Str., 109029 Moscow, Russia
- Faculty of Fundamental Physics and Chemical Engineering, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 1 Leninskie Gory, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - Soslan S. Shakhidzhanov
- Dmitry Rogachev National Medical Research Center of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Immunology, Ministry of Healthcare of Russian Federation, 1 Samory Mashela, 117198 Moscow, Russia
- Center for Theoretical Problems of Physicochemical Pharmacology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 30 Srednyaya Kalitnikovskaya Str., 109029 Moscow, Russia
| | - Alexey V. Zamaraev
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 32 Ulitsa Vavilova, 119991 Moscow, Russia
- Faculty of Medicine, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 1 Leninskie Gory, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - Fazoil I. Ataullakhanov
- Dmitry Rogachev National Medical Research Center of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Immunology, Ministry of Healthcare of Russian Federation, 1 Samory Mashela, 117198 Moscow, Russia
- Center for Theoretical Problems of Physicochemical Pharmacology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 30 Srednyaya Kalitnikovskaya Str., 109029 Moscow, Russia
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, National Research University, 9 Institutskiy Per., 141701 Dolgoprudny, Russia
- Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Civic Center Blvd., Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Aleksandr G. Rumyantsev
- Dmitry Rogachev National Medical Research Center of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Immunology, Ministry of Healthcare of Russian Federation, 1 Samory Mashela, 117198 Moscow, Russia
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