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Gietl M, Burkert F, Hofer S, Gostner JM, Sonnweber T, Tancevski I, Pizzini A, Sahanic S, Schroll A, Brigo N, Egger A, Bellmann-Weiler R, Löffler-Ragg J, Weiss G, Kurz K. Laboratory parameters related to disease severity and physical performance after reconvalescence of acute COVID-19 infection. Sci Rep 2024; 14:10388. [PMID: 38710760 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-57448-6] [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: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Research into the molecular basis of disease trajectory and Long-COVID is important to get insights toward underlying pathophysiological processes. The objective of this study was to investigate inflammation-mediated changes of metabolism in patients with acute COVID-19 infection and throughout a one-year follow up period. The study enrolled 34 patients with moderate to severe COVID-19 infection admitted to the University Clinic of Innsbruck in early 2020. The dynamics of multiple laboratory parameters (including inflammatory markers [C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), neopterin] as well as amino acids [tryptophan (Trp), phenylalanine (Phe) and tyrosine (Tyr)], and parameters of iron and vitamin B metabolism) was related to disease severity and patients' physical performance. Also, symptom load during acute illness and at approximately 60 days (FU1), and one year after symptom onset (FU2) were monitored and related with changes of the investigated laboratory parameters: During acute infection many investigated laboratory parameters were elevated (e.g., inflammatory markers, ferritin, kynurenine, phenylalanine) and enhanced tryptophan catabolism and phenylalanine accumulation were found. At FU2 nearly all laboratory markers had declined back to reference ranges. However, kynurenine/tryptophan ratio (Kyn/Trp) and the phenylalanine/tyrosine ratio (Phe/Tyr) were still exceeding the 95th percentile of healthy controls in about two thirds of our cohort at FU2. Lower tryptophan concentrations were associated with B vitamin availability (during acute infection and at FU1), patients with lower vitamin B12 levels at FU1 had a prolonged and more severe impairment of their physical functioning ability. Patients who had fully recovered (ECOG 0) presented with higher concentrations of iron parameters (ferritin, hepcidin, transferrin) and amino acids (phenylalanine, tyrosine) at FU2 compared to patients with restricted ability to work. Persistent symptoms at FU2 were tendentially associated with IFN-γ related parameters. Women were affected by long-term symptoms more frequently. Conclusively, inflammation-mediated biochemical changes appear to be related to symptoms of patients with acute and Long Covid.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario Gietl
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Francesco Burkert
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Stefanie Hofer
- Institute of Medical Biochemistry, Biocenter, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innrain 80, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Johanna M Gostner
- Institute of Medical Biochemistry, Biocenter, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innrain 80, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Thomas Sonnweber
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Ivan Tancevski
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Alex Pizzini
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Sabina Sahanic
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Andrea Schroll
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Natascha Brigo
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Alexander Egger
- Central Institute for Medical and Chemical Laboratory Diagnostics (ZIMCL), Tirol Kliniken GmbH, Anichstrasse 35, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Rosa Bellmann-Weiler
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Judith Löffler-Ragg
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Günter Weiss
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria.
| | - Katharina Kurz
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria.
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Sivagurunathan N, Calivarathan L. SARS-CoV-2 Infection to Premature Neuronal Aging and Neurodegenerative Diseases: Is there any Connection with Hypoxia? CNS & NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS DRUG TARGETS 2024; 23:431-448. [PMID: 37073650 DOI: 10.2174/1871527322666230418114446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2022] [Revised: 01/28/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 04/20/2023]
Abstract
The pandemic of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19), caused by SARS-CoV-2, has become a global concern as it leads to a spectrum of mild to severe symptoms and increases death tolls around the world. Severe COVID-19 results in acute respiratory distress syndrome, hypoxia, and multi- organ dysfunction. However, the long-term effects of post-COVID-19 infection are still unknown. Based on the emerging evidence, there is a high possibility that COVID-19 infection accelerates premature neuronal aging and increases the risk of age-related neurodegenerative diseases in mild to severely infected patients during the post-COVID period. Several studies correlate COVID-19 infection with neuronal effects, though the mechanism through which they contribute to the aggravation of neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration is still under investigation. SARS-CoV-2 predominantly targets pulmonary tissues and interferes with gas exchange, leading to systemic hypoxia. The neurons in the brain require a constant supply of oxygen for their proper functioning, suggesting that they are more vulnerable to any alteration in oxygen saturation level that results in neuronal injury with or without neuroinflammation. We hypothesize that hypoxia is one of the major clinical manifestations of severe SARS-CoV-2 infection; it directly or indirectly contributes to premature neuronal aging, neuroinflammation, and neurodegeneration by altering the expression of various genes responsible for the survival of the cells. This review focuses on the interplay between COVID-19 infection, hypoxia, premature neuronal aging, and neurodegenerative diseases and provides a novel insight into the molecular mechanisms of neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Narmadhaa Sivagurunathan
- Molecular Pharmacology & Toxicology Laboratory, Department of Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Central University of Tamil Nadu, Thiruvarur - 610005, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Latchoumycandane Calivarathan
- Molecular Pharmacology & Toxicology Laboratory, Department of Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Central University of Tamil Nadu, Thiruvarur - 610005, Tamil Nadu, India
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Ghoti H, Zreid H, Ghoti I, Bourgonje AR, Diepstra A, van Goor H, Avivi I, Jeadi H, van Eijk LE, Weiss G. Clinical outcome and humoral immune responses of β-thalassemia major patients with severe iron overload to SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccination: a prospective cohort study. EClinicalMedicine 2023; 62:102096. [PMID: 37560260 PMCID: PMC10406963 DOI: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2023.102096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Revised: 06/25/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND COVID-19 has raised special concern for patients with β-thalassemia major (β-TM) due to frequent comorbidities, regular blood transfusions, and iron overload. However, the exact implications of COVID-19 for patients with β-TM remain uncertain. We aimed to explore the COVID-19 incidence and severity, and the serological response to SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccination in patients with β-TM. METHODS Patients with β-TM (n = 105) and age-matched healthy controls, all individuals of all control groups were health care workers of the hospital, were prospectively enrolled at the haematology department of Al-Shifa hospital in the Gaza Strip from January 1st, 2021 to December 31st, 2021. Data on COVID-19 incidence and severity were analysed, with Alpha, Beta, and Delta SARS-CoV-2 variants dominating at that time. Anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibody levels were measured and compared between study groups. FINDINGS Patients with β-TM showed a higher incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection than the general population (61.9% vs. 7.1%, p < 0.0001). Most patients with β-TM had asymptomatic (70.8%) or mild disease (26.1%), with no fatalities recorded. COVID-19 illness was more severe among female than male patients with β-TM. Anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies were significantly higher in symptomatic patients with β-TM than controls post-infection (geometric mean ÷ geometric standard deviation 1299.0 ÷ 3.3 vs. 555.7 ÷ 2.4 AU/mL, p = 0.009) and post-vaccination (8404.0 ÷ 3.9 vs. 2785.6 ÷ 5.0 AU/mL, p = 0.015). Similar responses were observed when comparing splenectomised to non-splenectomised (both asymptomatic and symptomatic) patients with β-TM post-infection (595.4 ÷ 3.9 vs. 280.7 ÷ 3.5 AU/mL, p = 0.005) and post-vaccination (13,778.2 ÷ 3.2 vs. 4961.8 ÷ 4.1 AU/mL, p = 0.045). INTERPRETATION This distinctive β-TM cohort exhibited a high susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection but mild disease course. Our findings support favourable serological responses to SARS-CoV-2 infection and to vaccination in patients with β-TM, indicating a potential interplay between iron availability and COVID-19-related immunity. FUNDING This study was funded by Mr. Hosam and Wasim s. El Helou.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hussam Ghoti
- Department of Hematology, Al-Shifa Hospital, 51245, Gaza, Palestine
- Hematology Clinic, National Health Services, 6818164, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Hala Zreid
- Department of Hematology, Al-Shifa Hospital, 51245, Gaza, Palestine
| | - Israa Ghoti
- Human Medicine, European University of Cyprus, 2404, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Arno R. Bourgonje
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, 9713 GZ Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Arjan Diepstra
- Division of Pathology, Department of Pathology and Medical Biology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, 9713 GZ Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Harry van Goor
- Division of Pathology, Department of Pathology and Medical Biology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, 9713 GZ Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Irit Avivi
- Hematology Division, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center and Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, 64239, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Hisham Jeadi
- Department of Hematology, Al-Shifa Hospital, 51245, Gaza, Palestine
| | - Larissa E. van Eijk
- Division of Pathology, Department of Pathology and Medical Biology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, 9713 GZ Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Günter Weiss
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University of Innsbruck, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria
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Abstract
Pericytes are specialized cells located in close proximity to endothelial cells within the microvasculature. They play a crucial role in regulating blood flow, stabilizing vessel walls, and maintaining the integrity of the blood-brain barrier. The loss of pericytes has been associated with the development and progression of various diseases, such as diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, sepsis, stroke, and traumatic brain injury. This review examines the detection of pericyte loss in different diseases, explores the methods employed to assess pericyte coverage, and elucidates the potential mechanisms contributing to pericyte loss in these pathological conditions. Additionally, current therapeutic strategies targeting pericytes are discussed, along with potential future interventions aimed at preserving pericyte function and promoting disease mitigation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hongkuan Fan
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA;
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Knell AI, Böhm AK, Jäger M, Kerschbaum J, Engl S, Rudnicki M, Buchwinkler L, Bellmann-Weiler R, Posch W, Weiss G. Virus-Subtype-Specific Cellular and Humoral Immune Response to a COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine in Chronic Kidney Disease Patients and Renal Transplant Recipients. Microorganisms 2023; 11:1756. [PMID: 37512928 PMCID: PMC10383116 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11071756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2023] [Revised: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) or immunosuppression are at increased risk of severe SARS-CoV-2 infection. The vaccination of CKD patients has resulted in lower antibody concentrations and possibly reduced protection. However, little information is available on how T-cell-mediated immune response is affected in those patients and how vaccine-induced immune responses can neutralise different SARS-CoV-2 variants. Herein, we studied virus-specific humoral and cellular immune responses after two doses of mRNA-1273 (Moderna) vaccine in 42 patients suffering from CKD, small vessel vasculitis (maintenance phase), or kidney transplant recipients (KT). Serum and PBMCs from baseline and at three months after vaccination were used to determine SARS-CoV-2 S1-specific antibodies, neutralisation titers against SARS-CoV-2 WT, B1.617.2 (delta), and BA.1 (omicron) variants as well as virus-specific T-cells via IFNγ ELISpot assays. We observed a significant increase in quantitative and neutralising antibody titers against SARS-CoV-2 and significantly increased T-cell responses to SARS-CoV-2 S1 antigen after vaccination only in the CKD patients. In patients with vasculitis, neither humoral nor cellular responses were detected. In KT recipients, antibodies and virus neutralisation against WT and delta, but not against omicron BA.1, was assured. Importantly, we found no specific SARS-CoV-2 T-cell response in vasculitis and KT subjects, although unspecific T-cell activation was evident in most patients even before vaccination. While pre-dialysis CKD patients appear to mount an effective immune response for in vitro neutralisation of SARS-CoV-2, KT and vasculitis patients under immunosuppressive therapy were insufficiently protected from SARS-CoV-2 two months after the second dose of an mRNA vaccine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Astrid I Knell
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Infectious Diseases, Immunology, Rheumatology, Pneumology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstraße 35, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Anna K Böhm
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Infectious Diseases, Immunology, Rheumatology, Pneumology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstraße 35, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Michael Jäger
- Institute of Hygiene and Medical Microbiology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Schöpfstraße 41, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Julia Kerschbaum
- Department of Internal Medicine IV (Nephrology and Hypertension), Medical University Innsbruck, Anichstraße 35, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Sabine Engl
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Infectious Diseases, Immunology, Rheumatology, Pneumology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstraße 35, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Michael Rudnicki
- Department of Internal Medicine IV (Nephrology and Hypertension), Medical University Innsbruck, Anichstraße 35, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Lukas Buchwinkler
- Department of Internal Medicine IV (Nephrology and Hypertension), Medical University Innsbruck, Anichstraße 35, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Rosa Bellmann-Weiler
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Infectious Diseases, Immunology, Rheumatology, Pneumology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstraße 35, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Wilfried Posch
- Institute of Hygiene and Medical Microbiology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Schöpfstraße 41, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Günter Weiss
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Infectious Diseases, Immunology, Rheumatology, Pneumology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstraße 35, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
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Saki N, Nasiri R, Bayat A, Nikakhlagh S, Salmanzadeh S, Khoramshahi H. Relationship Between Vocal Fatigue Index and Acoustic Voice Scales in Patients With Coronavirus Infection. J Voice 2023:S0892-1997(23)00152-2. [PMID: 37277295 DOI: 10.1016/j.jvoice.2023.04.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Revised: 04/27/2023] [Accepted: 04/28/2023] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The voice quality of patients with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) seems to be affected due to lower and upper respiratory involvement. Patient-based voice assessment scales are important clinical measures to diagnose voice disorders and monitor treatment outcomes in COVID-19 patients. This study compared vocal fatigue between COVID-19 patients and those with normal voices. Furthermore, the relationship between vocal fatigue and acoustic voice parameters of COVID-19 patients was evaluated. METHODS This cross-sectional study enrolled 30 laboratory-confirmed patients with COVID-19 (18 males and 12 females) and 30 healthy individuals with normal voices (14 males and 16 females) to compare their respiratory or phonatory parameters. The Persian versions of the Consensus Auditory Perceptual Evaluation of Voice (CAPE-V) and the vocal fatigue index (VFI) were conducted before and after reading the text. The Jitter, shimmer, maximum phonation time, and harmonic-to-noise ratio (HNR) were analyzed by Praat software based on the recorded voices of CAPE-V tasks. The acoustic assessment and VFI questionnaire results were compared between COVID-19 patients and the control group. RESULTS There were significant differences between COVID-19 patients and their healthy counterparts in all VFI subscales (P < 0.001). Moreover, after reading the text, we found significant differences between the two groups regarding Jitter, shimmer, and HNR of /a/ and /i/ vowels (P < 0.05). Our findings also indicated a significant correlation between symptom improvement with rest and acoustic parameters in all tasks, except the Jitter of /a/ before reading the text. CONCLUSION Patients with COVID-19 showed significantly more vocal fatigue than people with normal voices after reading the text. Moreover, there was a significant relationship between Jitter, shimmer, and HNR and the tiredness of voice and physical discomfort subscales of VFI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nader Saki
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Khuzestan Province, Iran; Hearing Research Center, Clinical Sciences Research Institute, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Khuzestan Province, Iran
| | - Reyhane Nasiri
- Hearing Research Center, Clinical Sciences Research Institute, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Khuzestan Province, Iran
| | - Arash Bayat
- Department of Audiology, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Khuzestan Province, Iran; Hearing Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Khuzestan Province, Iran
| | - Soheila Nikakhlagh
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Khuzestan Province, Iran
| | - Shokrollah Salmanzadeh
- Infectious and Tropical Diseases Research Center, Health Research Institute, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Khuzestan Province, Iran
| | - Hassan Khoramshahi
- Mobility Impairment Research Center, Health Research Institute, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Mazandaran Province, Iran; Department of Speech Therapy, School of Rehabilitation, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Mazandaran Province, Iran.
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Weiss G. Who should receive oral antiviral therapy for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection in the omicron era? Choose wisely. Clin Microbiol Infect 2023; 29:281-283. [PMID: 36496153 PMCID: PMC9728013 DOI: 10.1016/j.cmi.2022.11.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2022] [Revised: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Guenter Weiss
- Medical University of Innsbruck, Internal Medicine II, Innsbruck, Austria.
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8
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Sonnweber T, Grubwieser P, Pizzini A, Boehm A, Sahanic S, Luger A, Schwabl C, Widmann G, Egger A, Hoermann G, Wöll E, Puchner B, Kaser S, Theurl I, Nairz M, Tymoszuk P, Weiss G, Joannidis M, Löffler-Ragg J, Tancevski I. Pulmonary recovery from COVID-19 in patients with metabolic diseases: a longitudinal prospective cohort study. Sci Rep 2023; 13:2599. [PMID: 36788324 PMCID: PMC9926446 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-29654-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The severity of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is related to the presence of comorbidities including metabolic diseases. We herein present data from the longitudinal prospective CovILD trial, and investigate the recovery from COVID-19 in individuals with dysglycemia and dyslipidemia. A total of 145 COVID-19 patients were prospectively followed and a comprehensive clinical, laboratory and imaging assessment was performed at 60, 100, 180, and 360 days after the onset of COVID-19. The severity of acute COVID-19 and outcome at early post-acute follow-up were significantly related to the presence of dysglycemia and dyslipidemia. Still, at long-term follow-up, metabolic disorders were not associated with an adverse pulmonary outcome, as reflected by a good recovery of structural lung abnormalities in both, patients with and without metabolic diseases. To conclude, dyslipidemia and dysglycemia are associated with a more severe course of acute COVID-19 as well as delayed early recovery but do not impair long-term pulmonary recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Sonnweber
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
| | - Philipp Grubwieser
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Alex Pizzini
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Anna Boehm
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Sabina Sahanic
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Anna Luger
- Department of Radiology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Christoph Schwabl
- Department of Radiology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Gerlig Widmann
- Department of Radiology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Alexander Egger
- Central Institute of Medical and Chemical Laboratory Diagnostics, University Hospital Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Gregor Hoermann
- Central Institute of Medical and Chemical Laboratory Diagnostics, University Hospital Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
- MLL Munich Leukemia Laboratory, Munich, Germany
| | - Ewald Wöll
- Department of Internal Medicine, St. Vinzenz Hospital, Zams, Austria
| | - Bernhard Puchner
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
- The Karl Landsteiner Institute, Reha Zentrum Münster, Münster, Austria
| | - Susanne Kaser
- Department of Internal Medicine I, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Igor Theurl
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Manfred Nairz
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | | | - Günter Weiss
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Michael Joannidis
- Division of Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine I, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
| | - Judith Löffler-Ragg
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
| | - Ivan Tancevski
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
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Nairz M, Todorovic T, Gehrer CM, Grubwieser P, Burkert F, Zimmermann M, Trattnig K, Klotz W, Theurl I, Bellmann-Weiler R, Weiss G. Single-Center Experience in Detecting Influenza Virus, RSV and SARS-CoV-2 at the Emergency Department. Viruses 2023; 15:v15020470. [PMID: 36851685 PMCID: PMC9958692 DOI: 10.3390/v15020470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2022] [Revised: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/04/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) on respiratory tract swabs has become the gold standard for sensitive and specific detection of influenza virus, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). In this retrospective analysis, we report on the successive implementation and routine use of multiplex RT-PCR testing for patients admitted to the Internal Medicine Emergency Department (ED) at a tertiary care center in Western Austria, one of the hotspots in the early coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in Europe. Our description focuses on the use of the Cepheid® Xpert® Xpress closed RT-PCR system in point-of-care testing (POCT). Our indications for RT-PCR testing changed during the observation period: From the cold season 2016/2017 until the cold season 2019/2020, we used RT-PCR to diagnose influenza or RSV infection in patients with fever and/or respiratory symptoms. Starting in March 2020, we used the RT-PCR for SARS-CoV-2 and a multiplex version for the combined detection of all these three respiratory viruses to also screen subjects who did not present with symptoms of infection but needed in-hospital medical treatment for other reasons. Expectedly, the switch to a more liberal RT-PCR test strategy resulted in a substantial increase in the number of tests. Nevertheless, we observed an immediate decline in influenza virus and RSV detections in early 2020 that coincided with public SARS-CoV-2 containment measures. In contrast, the extensive use of the combined RT-PCR test enabled us to monitor the re-emergence of influenza and RSV detections, including asymptomatic cases, at the end of 2022 when COVID-19 containment measures were no longer in place. Our analysis of PCR results for respiratory viruses from a real-life setting at an ED provides valuable information on the epidemiology of those infections over several years, their contribution to morbidity and need for hospital admission, the risk for nosocomial introduction of such infection into hospitals from asymptomatic carriers, and guidance as to how general precautions and prophylactic strategies affect the dynamics of those infections.
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Gietl M, Burkert F, Seiwald S, Böhm A, Hofer S, Gostner JM, Piater T, Geisler S, Weiss G, Loeffler-Ragg J, Sonnweber T, Tancevski I, Pizzini A, Sahanic S, Fuchs D, Bellmann-Weiler R, Kurz K. Interferon-gamma Mediated Metabolic Pathways in Hospitalized Patients During Acute and Reconvalescent COVID-19. Int J Tryptophan Res 2023; 16:11786469231154244. [PMID: 37038445 PMCID: PMC10076985 DOI: 10.1177/11786469231154244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 01/15/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Fatigue, sleep disturbance, and neurological symptoms during and after COVID-19 are common and might be associated with inflammation-induced changes in tryptophan (Trp) and phenylalanine (Phe) metabolism. Aim: This pilot study investigated interferon gamma inducible biochemical pathways (namely Trp catabolism, neopterin, tyrosine [Tyr], and nitrite formation) during acute COVID-19 and reconvalescence. Patients and methods: Thirty one patients with moderate to severe COVID-19 admitted to the University Hospital of Innsbruck in early 2020 (March-May) were followed up. Neurotransmitter precursors Trp, Phe, Tyr as well as kynurenine (Kyn), neopterin, nitrite, and routine laboratory parameters were analyzed during acute infection and at a follow-up (FU) 60 days thereafter. Clinical symptoms of patients (neurological symptoms, fatigue, sleep disturbance) were recorded and associations with concentrations of laboratory parameters investigated. Results and conclusion: Almost half of the patients suffered from neurological symptoms (48.4%), the majority of patients experienced sleep difficulties (56.7%) during acute COVID-19. Fatigue was present in nearly all patients. C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), neopterin, Kyn, Phe concentrations were significantly increased, and Trp levels depleted during acute COVID-19. Patients with sleep impairment and neurological symptoms during acute illness presented with increased CRP and IL-6 concentrations, Trp levels were lower in patients with sleep disturbance. In general, inflammatory markers declined during reconvalescence. A high percentage of patients suffered from persistent symptoms at FU (neurological symptoms: 17.2%, fatigue: 51.7%, sleeping disturbance: 34.5%) and had higher CRP concentrations. Nitrite and Phe levels were lower in patients with sleeping difficulties at FU and Kyn/Trp ratio, as indicator of IDO activity, was significantly lower in patients with neurological symptoms compared to patients without them at FU. In summary, inflammation induced alterations of amino acid metabolism might be related to acute and persisting symptoms of COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario Gietl
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University Innsbruck, Biocentre, Medical Biochemistry, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Francesco Burkert
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University Innsbruck, Biocentre, Medical Biochemistry, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Stefanie Seiwald
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University Innsbruck, Biocentre, Medical Biochemistry, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Anna Böhm
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University Innsbruck, Biocentre, Medical Biochemistry, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Stefanie Hofer
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University Innsbruck, Biocentre, Medical Biochemistry, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Johanna M Gostner
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University Innsbruck, Biocentre, Medical Biochemistry, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Talia Piater
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University Innsbruck, Biocentre, Medical Biochemistry, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Simon Geisler
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University Innsbruck, Biocentre, Medical Biochemistry, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Guenter Weiss
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University Innsbruck, Biocentre, Medical Biochemistry, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Judith Loeffler-Ragg
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University Innsbruck, Biocentre, Medical Biochemistry, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Thomas Sonnweber
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University Innsbruck, Biocentre, Medical Biochemistry, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Ivan Tancevski
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University Innsbruck, Biocentre, Medical Biochemistry, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Alex Pizzini
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University Innsbruck, Biocentre, Medical Biochemistry, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Sabina Sahanic
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University Innsbruck, Biocentre, Medical Biochemistry, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Dietmar Fuchs
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University Innsbruck, Biocentre, Medical Biochemistry, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Rosa Bellmann-Weiler
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University Innsbruck, Biocentre, Medical Biochemistry, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Katharina Kurz
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University Innsbruck, Biocentre, Medical Biochemistry, Innsbruck, Austria
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11
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Sonnweber T, Birgit S, Weiss G, Löffler-Ragg J. Pulmonary recovery after COVID-19 - a review. Expert Rev Respir Med 2023; 17:447-457. [PMID: 37449405 DOI: 10.1080/17476348.2023.2210837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION COVID-19 is caused by infection with the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2). As the respiratory tract is the primary site of infection and host-mediated inflammatory responses, pathologies and dysfunction of the respiratory system characterize the severe disease and are typically associated with the need for oxygen supply or even ventilator support. In survivors of severe COVID-19, computed tomography follow-up frequently reveals structural lung abnormalities, and one-third of individuals who were hospitalized during acute COVID-19 demonstrate persisting lung abnormalities for at least 12 months after disease onset. AREAS COVERED This review summarizes current evidence on pulmonary recovery after COVID-19, focusing on adult patients who suffered from COVID-19 pneumonia. EXPERT OPINION Severe COVID-19 is associated with a high frequency of persisting lung abnormalities at follow-up. The long-term consequences of these findings remain elusive and urge further evaluation to identify individuals at risk for COVID-19 long-term consequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Sonnweber
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Sailer Birgit
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Günter Weiss
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
- Christian Doppler Laboratory for Iron Metabolism and Anaemia Research, Medical University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Judith Löffler-Ragg
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
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12
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Egger AE, Sahanic S, Gleiss A, Ratzinger F, Holzer B, Irsara C, Binder N, Winkler C, Binder CJ, Posch W, Loacker L, Hartmann B, Anliker M, Weiss G, Sonnweber T, Tancevski I, Griesmacher A, Löffler-Ragg J, Hoermann G. One-Year Follow-Up of COVID-19 Patients Indicates Substantial Assay-Dependent Differences in the Kinetics of SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0059722. [PMID: 36222681 PMCID: PMC9784763 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00597-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Determination of antibody levels against the nucleocapsid (N) and spike (S) proteins of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) are used to estimate the humoral immune response after SARS-CoV-2 infection or vaccination. Differences in the design and specification of antibody assays challenge the interpretation of test results, and comparative studies are often limited to single time points per patient. We determined the longitudinal kinetics of antibody levels of 145 unvaccinated coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients at four visits over 1 year upon convalescence using 8 commercial SARS-CoV-2 antibody assays (from Abbott, DiaSorin, Roche, Siemens, and Technoclone), as well as a virus neutralization test (VNT). A linear regression model was used to investigate whether antibody results obtained in the first 6 months after disease onset could predict the VNT results at 12 months. Spike protein-specific antibody tests showed good correlation to the VNT at individual time points (rS, 0.74 to 0.92). While longitudinal assay comparison with the Roche Elecsys anti-SARS-CoV-2 S test showed almost constant antibody concentrations over 12 months, the VNT and all other tests indicated a decline in serum antibody levels (median decrease to 14% to 36% of baseline). The antibody level at 3 months was the best predictor of the VNT results at 12 months after disease onset. The current standardization to a WHO calibrator for normalization to binding antibody units (BAU) is not sufficient for the harmonization of SARS-CoV-2 antibody tests. Assay-specific differences in absolute values and trends over time need to be considered when interpreting the course of antibody levels in patients. IMPORTANCE Determination of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 will play an important role in detecting a sufficient immune response. Although all the manufacturers expressed antibody levels in binding antibody units per milliliter, thus suggesting comparable results, we found discrepant behavior between the eight investigated assays when we followed the antibody levels in a cohort of 145 convalescent patients over 1 year. While one assay yielded constant antibody levels, the others showed decreasing antibody levels to a varying extent. Therefore, the comparability of the assays must be improved regarding the long-term kinetics of antibody levels. This is a prerequisite for establishing reliable antibody level cutoffs for sufficient individual protection against SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander E. Egger
- Central Institute of Medical and Chemical Laboratory Diagnostics (ZIMCL), University Hospital of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Sabina Sahanic
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Andreas Gleiss
- Section for Clinical Biometrics, Center for Medical Statistics, Informatics, and Intelligent Systems, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Barbara Holzer
- Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES), Department for Animal Health, Moedling, Austria
| | - Christian Irsara
- Central Institute of Medical and Chemical Laboratory Diagnostics (ZIMCL), University Hospital of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Nikolaus Binder
- Technoclone Herstellung von Diagnostika und Arzneimitteln GmbH, Vienna, Austria
| | - Christoph Winkler
- Central Institute of Medical and Chemical Laboratory Diagnostics (ZIMCL), University Hospital of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Christoph J. Binder
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Wilfried Posch
- Institute of Hygiene and Medical Microbiology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Lorin Loacker
- Central Institute of Medical and Chemical Laboratory Diagnostics (ZIMCL), University Hospital of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Boris Hartmann
- Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES), Department for Animal Health, Moedling, Austria
| | - Markus Anliker
- Central Institute of Medical and Chemical Laboratory Diagnostics (ZIMCL), University Hospital of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Guenter Weiss
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Thomas Sonnweber
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Ivan Tancevski
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Andrea Griesmacher
- Central Institute of Medical and Chemical Laboratory Diagnostics (ZIMCL), University Hospital of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Judith Löffler-Ragg
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Gregor Hoermann
- Central Institute of Medical and Chemical Laboratory Diagnostics (ZIMCL), University Hospital of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
- MLL (Munich Leukemia Laboratory), Munich, Germany
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13
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Markers of Infection-Mediated Cardiac Damage in Influenza and COVID-19. Pathogens 2022; 11:pathogens11101191. [PMID: 36297248 PMCID: PMC9607279 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11101191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Revised: 09/18/2022] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Influenza and the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are two potentially severe viral infections causing significant morbidity and mortality. The causative viruses, influenza A/B and the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2) can cause both pulmonary and extra-pulmonary disease, including cardiovascular involvement. The objective of this study was to determine the levels of cardiac biomarkers in hospitalized patients infected with influenza or COVID-19 and their correlation with secondary outcomes. Methods: We performed a retrospective comparative analysis of cardiac biomarkers in patients hospitalized at our department with influenza or COVID-19 by measuring high-sensitivity troponin-T (hs-TnT) and creatinine kinase (CK) in plasma. Secondary outcomes were intensive care unit (ICU) admission and all-cause in-hospital mortality. Results: We analyzed the data of 250 influenza patients and 366 COVID-19 patients. 58.6% of patients with influenza and 46.2% of patients with COVID-19 presented with increased hs-TnT levels. Patients of both groups with increased hs-TnT levels were significantly more likely to require ICU treatment or to die during their hospital stay. Compared with COVID-19, cardiac biomarkers were significantly higher in patients affected by influenza of all age groups, regardless of pre-existing cardiovascular disease. In patients aged under 65 years, no significant difference in ICU admission and mortality was detected between influenza and COVID-19, whereas significantly more COVID-19 patients 65 years or older died or required intensive care treatment. Conclusions: Our study shows that increased cardiac biomarkers are associated with higher mortality and ICU admission in both, influenza and SARS-CoV-2-infected patients. Cardiac biomarkers are higher in the influenza cohort; however, this does not translate into worse outcomes when compared with the COVID-19 cohort.
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14
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Lu G, Wang Y, Shi Y, Zhang Z, Huang C, He W, Wang C, Shen HM. Autophagy in health and disease: From molecular mechanisms to therapeutic target. MedComm (Beijing) 2022; 3:e150. [PMID: 35845350 PMCID: PMC9271889 DOI: 10.1002/mco2.150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Revised: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 06/02/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Macroautophagy/autophagy is an evolutionally conserved catabolic process in which cytosolic contents, such as aggregated proteins, dysfunctional organelle, or invading pathogens, are sequestered by the double‐membrane structure termed autophagosome and delivered to lysosome for degradation. Over the past two decades, autophagy has been extensively studied, from the molecular mechanisms, biological functions, implications in various human diseases, to development of autophagy‐related therapeutics. This review will focus on the latest development of autophagy research, covering molecular mechanisms in control of autophagosome biogenesis and autophagosome–lysosome fusion, and the upstream regulatory pathways including the AMPK and MTORC1 pathways. We will also provide a systematic discussion on the implication of autophagy in various human diseases, including cancer, neurodegenerative disorders (Alzheimer disease, Parkinson disease, Huntington's disease, and Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), metabolic diseases (obesity and diabetes), viral infection especially SARS‐Cov‐2 and COVID‐19, cardiovascular diseases (cardiac ischemia/reperfusion and cardiomyopathy), and aging. Finally, we will also summarize the development of pharmacological agents that have therapeutic potential for clinical applications via targeting the autophagy pathway. It is believed that decades of hard work on autophagy research is eventually to bring real and tangible benefits for improvement of human health and control of human diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guang Lu
- Department of Physiology, Zhongshan School of Medicine Sun Yat-sen University Guangzhou China
| | - Yu Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, and West China School of Basic Medical Sciences & Forensic Medicine Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy Chengdu China
| | - Yin Shi
- Department of Biochemistry Zhejiang University School of Medicine Hangzhou China
| | - Zhe Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, and West China School of Basic Medical Sciences & Forensic Medicine Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy Chengdu China
| | - Canhua Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, and West China School of Basic Medical Sciences & Forensic Medicine Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy Chengdu China
| | - Weifeng He
- State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burn and Combined Injury, Institute of Burn Research Southwest Hospital Army Medical University Chongqing China
| | - Chuang Wang
- Department of Pharmacology, Provincial Key Laboratory of Pathophysiology Ningbo University School of Medicine Ningbo Zhejiang China
| | - Han-Ming Shen
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ministry of Education Frontiers Science Center for Precision Oncology University of Macau Macau China
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15
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Götz MP, Skjoedt MO, Bayarri-Olmos R, Hansen CB, Pérez-Alós L, Jarlhelt I, Benfield T, Rosbjerg A, Garred P. Lectin Pathway Enzyme MASP-2 and Downstream Complement Activation in COVID-19. J Innate Immun 2022; 15:122-135. [PMID: 35816998 PMCID: PMC10643890 DOI: 10.1159/000525508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2022] [Accepted: 06/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Mannose-binding lectin-associated serine protease 2 (MASP-2) is the main activator of the lectin complement pathway and has been suggested to be involved in the pathophysiology of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). To study a possible association between MASP-2 and COVID-19, we aimed at developing a sensitive and reliable MASP-2 ELISA. From an array of novel mouse-monoclonal antibodies using recombinant MASP-2 as antigen, two clones were selected to create a sandwich ELISA. Plasma samples were obtained from 216 healthy controls, 347 convalescent COVID-19 patients, and 147 prospectively followed COVID-19 patients. The assay was specific towards MASP-2 and did not recognize the truncated MASP2 splice variant MAP-2 (MAp19). The limit of quantification was shown to be 0.1 ng/mL. MASP-2 concentration was found to be stable after multiple freeze-thaw cycles. In healthy controls, the mean MASP-2 concentration was 524 ng/mL (95% CI: 496.5-551.6). No significant difference was found in the MASP-2 concentrations between COVID-19 convalescent samples and controls. However, a significant increase was observed in prospectively followed COVID-19 patients (mean: 834 ng/mL [95% CI: 765.3-902.7, p < 0.0001]). In these patients, MASP-2 concentration correlated significantly with the concentrations of the terminal complement complex (ρ = 0.3596, p < 0.0001), with the lectin pathway pattern recognition molecules ficolin-2 (ρ = 0.2906, p = 0.0004) and ficolin-3 (ρ = 0.3952, p < 0.0001) and with C-reactive protein (ρ = 0.3292, p = 0.0002). Overall, we developed a specific quantitative MASP-2 sandwich ELISA. MASP-2 correlated with complement activation and inflammatory markers in COVID-19 patients, underscoring a possible role of MASP-2 in COVID-19 pathophysiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maximilian Peter Götz
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Department of Clinical Immunology, Section 7631, Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark,
| | - Mikkel-Ole Skjoedt
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Department of Clinical Immunology, Section 7631, Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Rafael Bayarri-Olmos
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Department of Clinical Immunology, Section 7631, Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Cecilie Bo Hansen
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Department of Clinical Immunology, Section 7631, Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Laura Pérez-Alós
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Department of Clinical Immunology, Section 7631, Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Ida Jarlhelt
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Department of Clinical Immunology, Section 7631, Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Thomas Benfield
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital - Amager and Hvidovre, Hvidovre, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Anne Rosbjerg
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Department of Clinical Immunology, Section 7631, Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Peter Garred
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Department of Clinical Immunology, Section 7631, Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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16
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Hicks EG, Kandel SE, Lampe JN. Identification of Aloe-derived natural products as prospective lead scaffolds for SARS-CoV-2 main protease (M pro) inhibitors. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2022; 66:128732. [PMID: 35427739 PMCID: PMC9004148 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2022.128732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2021] [Revised: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 04/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
In the past two years, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused over 5 million deaths and 250 million infections worldwide. Despite successful vaccination efforts and emergency approval of small molecule therapies, a diverse range of antivirals is still needed to combat the inevitable resistance that will arise from new SARS-CoV-2 variants. The main protease of SARS-CoV-2 (Mpro) is an attractive drug target due to the clinical success of protease inhibitors against other viruses, such as HIV and HCV. However, in order to combat resistance, various chemical scaffolds need to be identified that have the potential to be developed into potent inhibitors. To this end, we screened a high-content protease inhibitor library against Mproin vitro, in order to identify structurally diverse compounds that could be further developed into antiviral leads. Our high-content screening efforts retrieved 27 hits each with > 50% inhibition in our Mpro FRET assay. Of these, four of the top inhibitor compounds were chosen for follow-up due to their potency and drugability (Lipinski's rules of five criteria): anacardic acid, aloesin, aloeresin D, and TCID. Further analysis via dose response curves revealed IC50 values of 6.8 μM, 38.9 μM, 125.3 μM, and 138.0 μM for each compound, respectively. Molecular docking studies demonstrated that the four inhibitors bound at the catalytic active site of Mpro with varying binding energies (-7.5 to -5.6 kcal/mol). Furthermore, Mpro FRET assay kinetic studies demonstrated that Mpro catalysis is better represented by a sigmoidal Hill model than the standard Michaelis-Menten hyperbola, indicating substantial cooperativity of the active enzyme dimer. This result suggests that the dimerization interface could be an attractive target for allosteric inhibitors. In conclusion, we identified two closely-related natural product compounds from the Aloe plant (aloesin and aloeresin D) that may serve as novel scaffolds for Mpro inhibitor design and additionally confirmed the strongly cooperative kinetics of Mpro proteolysis. These results further advance our knowledge of structure-function relationships in Mpro and offer new molecular scaffolds for inhibitor design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily G Hicks
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Skaggs School of Pharmacy, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO 80045, United States
| | - Sylvie E Kandel
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Skaggs School of Pharmacy, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO 80045, United States
| | - Jed N Lampe
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Skaggs School of Pharmacy, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO 80045, United States.
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17
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Cardiovascular Tropism and Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 Infection. Viruses 2022; 14:v14061137. [PMID: 35746609 PMCID: PMC9228192 DOI: 10.3390/v14061137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2022] [Revised: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The extrapulmonary manifestation of coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), became apparent early in the ongoing pandemic. It is now recognized that cells of the cardiovascular system are targets of SARS-CoV-2 infection and associated disease pathogenesis. While some details are emerging, much remains to be understood pertaining to the mechanistic basis by which SARS-CoV-2 contributes to acute and chronic manifestations of COVID-19. This knowledge has the potential to improve clinical management for the growing populations of patients impacted by COVID-19. Here, we review the epidemiology and pathophysiology of cardiovascular sequelae of COVID-19 and outline proposed disease mechanisms, including direct SARS-CoV-2 infection of major cardiovascular cell types and pathogenic effects of non-infectious viral particles and elicited inflammatory mediators. Finally, we identify the major outstanding questions in cardiovascular COVID-19 research.
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18
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Chavda VP, Prajapati R, Lathigara D, Nagar B, Kukadiya J, Redwan EM, Uversky VN, Kher MN, Rajvi P. Therapeutic monoclonal antibodies for COVID-19 management: an update. Expert Opin Biol Ther 2022; 22:763-780. [PMID: 35604379 DOI: 10.1080/14712598.2022.2078160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The first case of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) viral disease in the world was announced on 31st December 2019 in Wuhan, China. Since then, this virus has affected more than 440 million people, and today the world is facing different mutant strains of the virus, leading to increased morbidity rates, fatality rates, and surfacing re-infections. Various therapies, such as prophylactic treatments, repurposed drug treatments, convalescent plasma, and polyclonal antibody therapy have been developed to help combat the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). AREA COVERED This review article provides insights into the basic aspects of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) for the therapy of COVID-19, as well as its advancement in terms of clinical trial and current approval status. EXPERT OPINION Monoclonal antibodies represents the most effective and viable therapy and/or prophylaxis option against COVID-19, and have shown a reduction of the viral load, as well as lowering hospitalizations and death rates. In different countries, various mAbs are undergoing different phases of clinical trials, with a few of them having entered phases III and IV. Due to the soaring number of cases worldwide, the FDA has given emergency approval for the mAb combinations bamlanivimab with etesevimab and casirivimab with imdevimab.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vivek P Chavda
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Technology, L M College of Pharmacy, Ahmedabad, India
| | - Riddhi Prajapati
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Technology, L M College of Pharmacy, Ahmedabad, India
| | - Disha Lathigara
- Biocharecterization Lab, Intas Pharmaceutical Ltd. (Biopharma Division), Ahmedabad, India
| | - Bhumi Nagar
- Pharmacy Section, L. M. College of Pharmacy, Ahmedabad, India
| | - Jay Kukadiya
- Pharmacy Section, L. M. College of Pharmacy, Ahmedabad, India
| | - Elrashdy M Redwan
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.,Therapeutic and Protective Proteins Laboratory, Protein Research Department, Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Research Institute, City of Scientific Research and Technological Applications, New Borg EL-Arab, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Vladimir N Uversky
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Byrd Alzheimer's Research Institute, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, USA
| | - Mukesh N Kher
- Department of Quality Assurance, L. M. College of Pharmacy, Ahmedabad, India
| | - Patel Rajvi
- Drug Product Development Lab, Intas Pharmaceutical Ltd. (Biopharma Division), Ahmedabad, India
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19
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Haschka D, Petzer V, Burkert FR, Fritsche G, Wildner S, Bellmann-Weiler R, Tymoszuk P, Weiss G. Alterations of blood monocyte subset distribution and surface phenotype are linked to infection severity in COVID-19 inpatients. Eur J Immunol 2022; 52:1285-1296. [PMID: 35491910 PMCID: PMC9348104 DOI: 10.1002/eji.202149680] [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: 10/12/2021] [Revised: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Severe coronavirus disease 19 (COVID‐19) manifests with systemic immediate proinflammatory innate immune activation and altered iron turnover. Iron homeostasis, differentiation, and function of myeloid leukocytes are interconnected. Therefore, we characterized the cellularity, surface marker expression, and iron transporter phenotype of neutrophils and monocyte subsets in COVID‐19 patients within 72 h from hospital admission, and analyzed how these parameters relate to infection severity. Between March and November 2020, blood leukocyte samples from hospitalized COVID‐19 patients (n = 48) and healthy individuals (n = 7) were analyzed by flow cytometry enabling comparative analysis of 40 features. Inflammation‐driven neutrophil expansion, depletion of CD16+ nonclassical monocytes, and changes in surface expression of neutrophil and monocyte CD64 and CD86 were associated with COVID‐19 severity. By unsupervised self‐organizing map clustering, four patterns of innate myeloid response were identified and linked to varying levels of systemic inflammation, altered cellular iron trafficking and the severity of disease. These alterations of the myeloid leukocyte compartment during acute COVID‐19 may be hallmarks of inefficient viral control and immune hyperactivation and may help at risk prediction and treatment optimization.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Haschka
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Verena Petzer
- Department of Internal Medicine V, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | | | - Gernot Fritsche
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Sophie Wildner
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Rosa Bellmann-Weiler
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Piotr Tymoszuk
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.,Data Analytics As a Service Tirol, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Guenter Weiss
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
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20
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Muhl L, He L, Sun Y, Andaloussi Mäe M, Pietilä R, Liu J, Genové G, Zhang L, Xie Y, Leptidis S, Mocci G, Stritt S, Osman A, Anisimov A, Hemanthakumar KA, Räsänen M, Hansson EM, Björkegren J, Vanlandewijck M, Blomgren K, Mäkinen T, Peng XR, Hu Y, Ernfors P, Arnold TD, Alitalo K, Lendahl U, Betsholtz C. The SARS-CoV-2 receptor ACE2 is expressed in mouse pericytes but not endothelial cells: Implications for COVID-19 vascular research. Stem Cell Reports 2022; 17:1089-1104. [PMID: 35452595 PMCID: PMC9022216 DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2022.03.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2021] [Revised: 03/25/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Humanized mouse models and mouse-adapted SARS-CoV-2 virus are increasingly used to study COVID-19 pathogenesis, so it is important to learn where the SARS-CoV-2 receptor ACE2 is expressed. Here we mapped ACE2 expression during mouse postnatal development and in adulthood. Pericytes in the CNS, heart, and pancreas express ACE2 strongly, as do perineurial and adrenal fibroblasts, whereas endothelial cells do not at any location analyzed. In a number of other organs, pericytes do not express ACE2, including in the lung where ACE2 instead is expressed in bronchial epithelium and alveolar type II cells. The onset of ACE2 expression is organ specific: in bronchial epithelium already at birth, in brain pericytes before, and in heart pericytes after postnatal day 10.5. Establishing the vascular localization of ACE2 expression is central to correctly interpret data from modeling COVID-19 in the mouse and may shed light on the cause of vascular COVID-19 complications. Detailed Ace2/ACE2 expression patterns are reported for multiple mouse organs Vascular Ace2/ACE2 expression occurs in pericytes but not endothelial cells Ace2/ACE2 expression is organotypic and developmentally regulated Ace2/ACE2 expression in pericytes may suggest their involvement in COVID-19
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Affiliation(s)
- Lars Muhl
- Department of Medicine, Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden
| | - Liqun He
- Department of Immunology, Genetics, and Pathology, Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden; Department of Neurosurgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin Neurological Institute, Key Laboratory of Post-Neuro-injury Neuro-Repair and Regeneration in Central Nervous System, Ministry of Education and Tianjin City, Tianjin 300052, China
| | - Ying Sun
- Department of Immunology, Genetics, and Pathology, Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Maarja Andaloussi Mäe
- Department of Immunology, Genetics, and Pathology, Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Riikka Pietilä
- Department of Immunology, Genetics, and Pathology, Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Jianping Liu
- Department of Medicine, Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden
| | - Guillem Genové
- Department of Medicine, Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden
| | - Lei Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Medicinal Plant Resource and Natural Pharmaceutical Chemistry, National Engineering Laboratory for Resource Developing of Endangered Chinese Crude Drugs in Northwest of China, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an China
| | - Yuan Xie
- Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Medicinal Plant Resource and Natural Pharmaceutical Chemistry, National Engineering Laboratory for Resource Developing of Endangered Chinese Crude Drugs in Northwest of China, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an China
| | - Stefanos Leptidis
- Department of Medicine, Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden
| | - Giuseppe Mocci
- Department of Medicine, Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden
| | - Simon Stritt
- Department of Immunology, Genetics, and Pathology, Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Ahmed Osman
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden
| | - Andrey Anisimov
- Wihuri Research Institute and Translational Cancer Medicine Program, Biomedicum Helsinki, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Karthik Amudhala Hemanthakumar
- Wihuri Research Institute and Translational Cancer Medicine Program, Biomedicum Helsinki, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Markus Räsänen
- Wihuri Research Institute and Translational Cancer Medicine Program, Biomedicum Helsinki, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Emil M Hansson
- Department of Medicine, Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden
| | - Johan Björkegren
- Department of Medicine, Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden; Institute of Genomics and Multiscale Biology, Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Michael Vanlandewijck
- Department of Medicine, Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden; Department of Immunology, Genetics, and Pathology, Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Klas Blomgren
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden; Department of Pediatric Oncology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm Sweden
| | - Taija Mäkinen
- Department of Immunology, Genetics, and Pathology, Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Xiao-Rong Peng
- Cardiovascular, Renal and Metabolism, AstraZeneca BioPharmaceutical R&D, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Yizhou Hu
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden
| | - Patrik Ernfors
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden
| | - Thomas D Arnold
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Kari Alitalo
- Wihuri Research Institute and Translational Cancer Medicine Program, Biomedicum Helsinki, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Urban Lendahl
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden.
| | - Christer Betsholtz
- Department of Medicine, Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden; Department of Immunology, Genetics, and Pathology, Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
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21
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Zhuang C, Liu X, Chen Q, Sun Y, Su Y, Huang S, Wu T, Xia N. Protection Duration of COVID-19 Vaccines: Waning Effectiveness and Future Perspective. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:828806. [PMID: 35273584 PMCID: PMC8902038 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.828806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2021] [Accepted: 01/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines have very successfully decreased the disease risk as we know; some key information remains unknown due to the short development history and the lack of long-term follow-up studies in vaccinated populations. One of the unanswered issues is the protection duration conferred after COVID-19 vaccination, which appears to play a pivotal role in the future impact of pathogens and is critical to inform the public health response and policy decisions. Here, we review current information on the long-term effectiveness of different COVID-19 vaccines, persistence of immunogenicity, and gaps in knowledge. Meanwhile, we also discuss the influencing factors and future study prospects on this topic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunlan Zhuang
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, National Institute of Diagnostics and Vaccine Development in Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center of Biologic Products, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Xiaohui Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, National Institute of Diagnostics and Vaccine Development in Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center of Biologic Products, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Qi Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, National Institute of Diagnostics and Vaccine Development in Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center of Biologic Products, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Yuxin Sun
- School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yingying Su
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, National Institute of Diagnostics and Vaccine Development in Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center of Biologic Products, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Shoujie Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, National Institute of Diagnostics and Vaccine Development in Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center of Biologic Products, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Ting Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, National Institute of Diagnostics and Vaccine Development in Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center of Biologic Products, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Ningshao Xia
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, National Institute of Diagnostics and Vaccine Development in Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center of Biologic Products, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- Research Unit of Frontier Technology of Structural Vaccinology of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
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