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Xiao Y, Wang L, Li SX, Fang SS, Luo F, Chen SL, Zou X, Ye L, Hou W. Conditional reprogrammed human limbal epithelial cell model for anti-SARS-CoV-2 drug screening. Heliyon 2024; 10:e30044. [PMID: 38698981 PMCID: PMC11064458 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e30044] [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: 02/06/2024] [Revised: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024] Open
Abstract
To minimize the global pandemic COVID-19 spread, understanding the possible transmission routes of SARS-CoV-2 and discovery of novel antiviral drugs are necessary. We describe here that the virus can infect ocular surface limbal epithelial, but not other regions. Limbal supports wild type and mutant SARS-CoV-2 entry and replication depending on ACE2, TMPRSS2 and possibly other receptors, resulting in slight CPE and arising IL-6 secretion, which symbolizes conjunctivitis in clinical symptoms. With this limbal model, we have screened two natural product libraries and discovered several unreported drugs. Our data reveal important commonalities between COVID-19 and ocular infection with SARS-CoV-2, and establish an ideal cell model for drug screening and mechanism research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Xiao
- Shenzhen Research Institute, Wuhan University, Shenzhen 518057, Guangdong Province, China
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen, 518107, China
| | - Ling Wang
- Shenzhen Eye Hospital, Shenzhen 518040, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Shi-xu Li
- Shenzhen Eye Hospital, Shenzhen 518040, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Shi-song Fang
- Shenzhen Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shenzhen 518055, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Fan Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Virology/Institute of Medical Virology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, Hubei Province, China
| | - Shu-liang Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Virology/Institute of Medical Virology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, Hubei Province, China
| | - Xuan Zou
- Shenzhen Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shenzhen 518055, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Lin Ye
- Shenzhen Eye Hospital, Shenzhen 518040, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Wei Hou
- Shenzhen Research Institute, Wuhan University, Shenzhen 518057, Guangdong Province, China
- State Key Laboratory of Virology/Institute of Medical Virology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, Hubei Province, China
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Thwaites RS, Uruchurtu ASS, Negri VA, Cole ME, Singh N, Poshai N, Jackson D, Hoschler K, Baker T, Scott IC, Ros XR, Cohen ES, Zambon M, Pollock KM, Hansel TT, Openshaw PJM. Early mucosal events promote distinct mucosal and systemic antibody responses to live attenuated influenza vaccine. Nat Commun 2023; 14:8053. [PMID: 38052824 PMCID: PMC10697962 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-43842-7] [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: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Compared to intramuscular vaccines, nasally administered vaccines have the advantage of inducing local mucosal immune responses that may block infection and interrupt transmission of respiratory pathogens. Live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV) is effective in preventing influenza in children, but a correlate of protection for LAIV remains unclear. Studying young adult volunteers, we observe that LAIV induces distinct, compartmentalized, antibody responses in the mucosa and blood. Seeking immunologic correlates of these distinct antibody responses we find associations with mucosal IL-33 release in the first 8 hours post-inoculation and divergent CD8+ and circulating T follicular helper (cTfh) T cell responses 7 days post-inoculation. Mucosal antibodies are induced separately from blood antibodies, are associated with distinct immune responses early post-inoculation, and may provide a correlate of protection for mucosal vaccination. This study was registered as NCT04110366 and reports primary (mucosal antibody) and secondary (blood antibody, and nasal viral load and cytokine) endpoint data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan S Thwaites
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK.
| | | | - Victor Augusti Negri
- Translational Science and Experimental Medicine, Research and Early Development, Respiratory and Immunology, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, UK
| | - Megan E Cole
- Department of Infectious Disease, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Nehmat Singh
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Nelisa Poshai
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | | | | | - Tina Baker
- Translational Science and Experimental Medicine, Research and Early Development, Respiratory and Immunology, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, UK
| | - Ian C Scott
- Translational Science and Experimental Medicine, Research and Early Development, Respiratory and Immunology, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, UK
| | - Xavier Romero Ros
- Bioscience Asthma and Skin Immunity, Research and Early Development, Respiratory and Immunology, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, UK
| | - Emma Suzanne Cohen
- Bioscience Asthma and Skin Immunity, Research and Early Development, Respiratory and Immunology, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, UK
| | - Maria Zambon
- United Kingdom Health Security Agency, London, UK
| | - Katrina M Pollock
- Department of Infectious Disease, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Trevor T Hansel
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK
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Dounce-Cuevas CA, Flores-Flores A, Bazán MS, Portales-Rivera V, Morelos-Ulíbarri AA, Bazán-Perkins B. Asthma and COVID-19: a controversial relationship. Virol J 2023; 20:207. [PMID: 37679779 PMCID: PMC10485988 DOI: 10.1186/s12985-023-02174-0] [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: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection induces a spectrum of clinical manifestations that depend on the immune response of the patient, i.e., from an asymptomatic form to an inflammatory response with multiorgan deterioration. In some cases, severe cases of SARS-CoV-2 are characterized by an excessive, persistent release of inflammatory mediators known as a cytokine storm. This phenomenon arises from an ineffective T helper (Th)-1 response, which is unable to control the infection and leads to a reinforcement of innate immunity, causing tissue damage. The evolution of the disease produced by SARS-CoV2, known as COVID-19, has been of interest in several research fields. Asthma patients have been reported to present highly variable outcomes due to the heterogeneity of the disease. For example, the Th2 response in patients with allergic asthma is capable of decreasing Th1 activation in COVID-19, preventing the onset of a cytokine storm; additionally, IL-33 released by damaged epithelium in the context of COVID-19 potentiates either Th1 or T2-high responses, a process that contributes to poor outcomes. IL-13, a T2-high inflammatory cytokine, decreases the expression of angiotensin converting enzyme-2 (ACE2) receptor, hindering SARS-CoV-2 entry; finally, poor outcomes have been observed in COVID-19 patients with severe neutrophilic asthma. In other contexts, the COVID-19 lockdown has had interesting effects on asthma epidemiology. The incidence of asthma in the most populated states in Mexico, including Tamaulipas, which has the highest asthma incidence in the country, showed similar tendencies independent of how strict the lockdown measures were in each state. As described worldwide for various diseases, a decrease in asthma cases was observed during the COVID-19 lockdown. This decrease was associated with a drop in acute respiratory infection cases. The drop in cases of various diseases, such as diabetes, hypertension or depression, observed in 2020 was restored in 2022, but not for asthma and acute respiratory infections. There were slight increases in asthma cases when in-person classes resumed. In conclusion, although many factors were involved in asthma outcomes during the pandemic, it seems that acute respiratory infection is intimately linked to asthma cases. Social distancing during remote learning, particularly school lockdown, appears to be an important cause of the decrease in cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos A Dounce-Cuevas
- Tecnologico de Monterrey, Escuela de Medicina y Ciencias de la Salud, 14380, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Angélica Flores-Flores
- Tecnologico de Monterrey, Escuela de Medicina y Ciencias de la Salud, 14380, Mexico City, Mexico
- Laboratorio de Inmunofarmacología, Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Respiratorias Ismael Cosío Villegas, 14080, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Mariana S Bazán
- Tecnologico de Monterrey, Escuela de Medicina y Ciencias de la Salud, 14380, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Victor Portales-Rivera
- Tecnologico de Monterrey, Escuela de Medicina y Ciencias de la Salud, 14380, Mexico City, Mexico
| | | | - Blanca Bazán-Perkins
- Tecnologico de Monterrey, Escuela de Medicina y Ciencias de la Salud, 14380, Mexico City, Mexico.
- Laboratorio de Inmunofarmacología, Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Respiratorias Ismael Cosío Villegas, 14080, Mexico City, Mexico.
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Wiffen L, D’Cruz LG, Brown T, Higenbottam TW, Bernstein JA, Campbell C, Moellman J, Ghosh D, Richardson C, Weston-Davies W, Chauhan AJ. Clinical severity classes in COVID-19 pneumonia have distinct immunological profiles, facilitating risk stratification by machine learning. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1192765. [PMID: 37731491 PMCID: PMC10508987 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1192765] [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: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective Clinical triage in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) places a heavy burden on senior clinicians during a pandemic situation. However, risk stratification based on serum biomarker bioprofiling could be implemented by a larger, nonspecialist workforce. Method Measures of Complement Activation and inflammation in patientS with CoronAvirus DisEase 2019 (CASCADE) patients (n = 72), (clinicaltrials.gov: NCT04453527), classified as mild, moderate, or severe (by support needed to maintain SpO2 > 93%), and healthy controls (HC, n = 20), were bioprofiled using 76 immunological biomarkers and compared using ANOVA. Spearman correlation analysis on biomarker pairs was visualised via heatmaps. Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) models were generated to identify patients likely to deteriorate. An X-Gradient-boost (XGB) model trained on CASCADE data to triage patients as mild, moderate, and severe was retrospectively employed to classify COROnavirus Nomacopan Emergency Treatment for covid 19 infected patients with early signs of respiratory distress (CORONET) patients (n = 7) treated with nomacopan. Results The LDA models distinctly discriminated between deteriorators, nondeteriorators, and HC, with IL-27, IP-10, MDC, ferritin, C5, and sC5b-9 among the key predictor variables during deterioration. C3a and C5 were elevated in all severity classes vs. HC (p < 0.05). sC5b-9 was elevated in the "moderate" and "severe" categories vs. HC (p < 0.001). Heatmap analysis shows a pairwise increase of negatively correlated pairs with IL-27. The XGB model indicated sC5b-9, IL-8, MCP1, and prothrombin F1 and F2 were key discriminators in nomacopan-treated patients (CORONET study). Conclusion Distinct immunological fingerprints from serum biomarkers exist within different severity classes of COVID-19, and harnessing them using machine learning enabled the development of clinically useful triage and prognostic tools. Complement-mediated lung injury plays a key role in COVID-19 pneumonia, and preliminary results hint at the usefulness of a C5 inhibitor in COVID-19 recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Wiffen
- Research and Innovation Department, Portsmouth Hospitals University National Health Service (NHS) Trust, Portsmouth, United Kingdom
| | - Leon Gerard D’Cruz
- Research and Innovation Department, Portsmouth Hospitals University National Health Service (NHS) Trust, Portsmouth, United Kingdom
- School of Pharmacy & Biomedical Science, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, United Kingdom
| | - Thomas Brown
- Research and Innovation Department, Portsmouth Hospitals University National Health Service (NHS) Trust, Portsmouth, United Kingdom
| | | | - Jonathan A. Bernstein
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, Allergy and Immunology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Courtney Campbell
- Ohio State University Medical Centre, Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Joseph Moellman
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Debajyoti Ghosh
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, Allergy and Immunology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | | | | | - Anoop J. Chauhan
- Research and Innovation Department, Portsmouth Hospitals University National Health Service (NHS) Trust, Portsmouth, United Kingdom
- School of Pharmacy & Biomedical Science, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, United Kingdom
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Ranjbar M, Cusack RP, Whetstone CE, Nawaz S, Khoury C, Wattie J, Wiltshire L, Le Roux J, Cheng E, Srinathan T, Ho T, Sehmi R, Duong M, Gauvreau GM. Gene Polymorphisms of Epithelial Cell-Derived Alarmins and Their Effects on Protein Levels and Disease Severity in Patients with COVID-19. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:1721. [PMID: 37761861 PMCID: PMC10530834 DOI: 10.3390/genes14091721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The immune response in COVID-19 is characterized by the release of alarmin cytokines, which play crucial roles in immune activation and inflammation. The interplay between these cytokines and genetic variations may influence disease severity and outcomes, while sex differences might further contribute to variations in the immune response. METHODS We measured the levels of alarmin cytokines in a cohort of COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients using a sensitive Meso Scale Discovery system. Additionally, we conducted an SNP analysis to identify genetic variations within the IL-33 and TSLP genes. The association between these genetic variations, cytokine production, and COVID-19 severity was examined. RESULTS Our findings revealed elevated levels of IL-33 and IL-25 in COVID-19-positive patients compared to COVID-19-negative patients (p < 0.05), indicating their potential as therapeutic targets for disease modulation. Moreover, a minor allele within the IL-33 gene (rs3939286) was found to be associated with a protective effect against severe COVID-19 (p < 0.05), and minor alleles of the TSLP gene (rs2289276 and rs13806933) were found to significantly reduce TSLP protein levels in serum (p < 0.05). Sex-specific effects of TSLP and IL-33 SNPs were observed, suggesting a potential influence of sex hormones and genetic variations on the regulation of cytokine production. CONCLUSION The present study highlights the importance of alarmin cytokines and genetic variations in COVID-19 severity, providing valuable insights into personalized treatment approaches. Our results suggest that targeting alarmin cytokines may offer potential therapeutic benefits in managing COVID-19. Furthermore, the sex-specific effects of genetic variations emphasize the need to consider individual genetic profiles and sex differences when designing targeted interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maral Ranjbar
- Department of Medicine, Division of Respirology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8N 3Z5, Canada; (M.R.); (R.P.C.); (C.E.W.); (S.N.); (C.K.); (J.W.); (L.W.); (T.H.); (R.S.); (M.D.)
| | - Ruth P. Cusack
- Department of Medicine, Division of Respirology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8N 3Z5, Canada; (M.R.); (R.P.C.); (C.E.W.); (S.N.); (C.K.); (J.W.); (L.W.); (T.H.); (R.S.); (M.D.)
| | - Christiane E. Whetstone
- Department of Medicine, Division of Respirology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8N 3Z5, Canada; (M.R.); (R.P.C.); (C.E.W.); (S.N.); (C.K.); (J.W.); (L.W.); (T.H.); (R.S.); (M.D.)
| | - Shiraz Nawaz
- Department of Medicine, Division of Respirology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8N 3Z5, Canada; (M.R.); (R.P.C.); (C.E.W.); (S.N.); (C.K.); (J.W.); (L.W.); (T.H.); (R.S.); (M.D.)
| | - Christopher Khoury
- Department of Medicine, Division of Respirology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8N 3Z5, Canada; (M.R.); (R.P.C.); (C.E.W.); (S.N.); (C.K.); (J.W.); (L.W.); (T.H.); (R.S.); (M.D.)
| | - Jennifer Wattie
- Department of Medicine, Division of Respirology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8N 3Z5, Canada; (M.R.); (R.P.C.); (C.E.W.); (S.N.); (C.K.); (J.W.); (L.W.); (T.H.); (R.S.); (M.D.)
| | - Lesley Wiltshire
- Department of Medicine, Division of Respirology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8N 3Z5, Canada; (M.R.); (R.P.C.); (C.E.W.); (S.N.); (C.K.); (J.W.); (L.W.); (T.H.); (R.S.); (M.D.)
| | | | - Eric Cheng
- St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, ON L8N 4A6, Canada; (E.C.)
| | - Thivya Srinathan
- St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, ON L8N 4A6, Canada; (E.C.)
| | - Terence Ho
- Department of Medicine, Division of Respirology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8N 3Z5, Canada; (M.R.); (R.P.C.); (C.E.W.); (S.N.); (C.K.); (J.W.); (L.W.); (T.H.); (R.S.); (M.D.)
- St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, ON L8N 4A6, Canada; (E.C.)
- The Research Institute of St. Joe’s Hamilton, Firestone Institute for Respiratory Health, St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, ON L8N 4A6, Canada
| | - Roma Sehmi
- Department of Medicine, Division of Respirology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8N 3Z5, Canada; (M.R.); (R.P.C.); (C.E.W.); (S.N.); (C.K.); (J.W.); (L.W.); (T.H.); (R.S.); (M.D.)
- St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, ON L8N 4A6, Canada; (E.C.)
- The Research Institute of St. Joe’s Hamilton, Firestone Institute for Respiratory Health, St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, ON L8N 4A6, Canada
| | - MyLinh Duong
- Department of Medicine, Division of Respirology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8N 3Z5, Canada; (M.R.); (R.P.C.); (C.E.W.); (S.N.); (C.K.); (J.W.); (L.W.); (T.H.); (R.S.); (M.D.)
- St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, ON L8N 4A6, Canada; (E.C.)
- The Research Institute of St. Joe’s Hamilton, Firestone Institute for Respiratory Health, St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, ON L8N 4A6, Canada
- Population Health Research Institute, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8N 3Z5, Canada
| | - Gail M. Gauvreau
- Department of Medicine, Division of Respirology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8N 3Z5, Canada; (M.R.); (R.P.C.); (C.E.W.); (S.N.); (C.K.); (J.W.); (L.W.); (T.H.); (R.S.); (M.D.)
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Loinjak D, Mihić D, Smolić R, Maričić L, Šahinović I, Smolić M, Sikora R, Loinjak S, Dinjar K, Včev A. The Correlation of Serum Calpain 1 Activity and Concentrations of Interleukin 33 in COVID-19 Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome. Biomedicines 2023; 11:1847. [PMID: 37509486 PMCID: PMC10376760 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11071847] [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: 06/11/2023] [Revised: 06/24/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is one of the most severe complications of the COVID-19 disease. The role of IL-33 and calpain 1 was previously described in lung infections and lung tissue damage. Our study examined the association between serum calpain 1 activity and IL-33 concentration in patients with COVID-19 ARDS. In the research, we included 80 subjects who had COVID-19 pneumonia and divided them into 2 groups: 40 subjects with ARDS and 40 subjects without ARDS. The basis of the research was the collection of subjects' data and the sampling of peripheral venous blood. The concentration of IL-33 was determined by the ELISA method and the activity of calpain 1 by the fluorometry method. Our research showed elevated calpain 1 activity and IL-33 concentration in the serum of COVID-19 patients who developed ARDS compared to those who did not develop ARDS and a positive correlation between them was established. Further, a positive correlation was established between the examined parameters and the severity of the disease, proinflammatory markers, and the use of mechanical ventilation. These results indicate a possible association and role of calpain 1 and IL-33 with the development of ARDS in COVID-19 patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Domagoj Loinjak
- Faculty of Medicine, University J. J. Strossmayer in Osijek, 31000 Osijek, Croatia
- Department of Pulmology and Intensive Care Medicine, University Hospital Centre Osijek, 31000 Osijek, Croatia
| | - Damir Mihić
- Faculty of Medicine, University J. J. Strossmayer in Osijek, 31000 Osijek, Croatia
- Department of Pulmology and Intensive Care Medicine, University Hospital Centre Osijek, 31000 Osijek, Croatia
| | - Robert Smolić
- Faculty of Dental Medicine and Health Osijek, University J. J. Strossmayer in Osijek, 31000 Osijek, Croatia
| | - Lana Maričić
- Faculty of Medicine, University J. J. Strossmayer in Osijek, 31000 Osijek, Croatia
- Department of Heart and Vascular Diseases, University Hospital Centre Osijek, 31000 Osijek, Croatia
| | - Ines Šahinović
- Faculty of Medicine, University J. J. Strossmayer in Osijek, 31000 Osijek, Croatia
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Diagnostics, University Hospital Centre Osijek, 31000 Osijek, Croatia
| | - Martina Smolić
- Faculty of Dental Medicine and Health Osijek, University J. J. Strossmayer in Osijek, 31000 Osijek, Croatia
| | - Renata Sikora
- Faculty of Dental Medicine and Health Osijek, University J. J. Strossmayer in Osijek, 31000 Osijek, Croatia
| | - Sanja Loinjak
- Faculty of Dental Medicine and Health Osijek, University J. J. Strossmayer in Osijek, 31000 Osijek, Croatia
- Department of Maxillofacial and Oral Surgery, University Hospital Centre Osijek, 31000 Osijek, Croatia
| | - Kristijan Dinjar
- Faculty of Medicine, University J. J. Strossmayer in Osijek, 31000 Osijek, Croatia
- Department of Maxillofacial and Oral Surgery, University Hospital Centre Osijek, 31000 Osijek, Croatia
| | - Aleksandar Včev
- Faculty of Dental Medicine and Health Osijek, University J. J. Strossmayer in Osijek, 31000 Osijek, Croatia
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Tsilioni I, Theoharides TC. Recombinant SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein Stimulates Secretion of Chymase, Tryptase, and IL-1β from Human Mast Cells, Augmented by IL-33. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24119487. [PMID: 37298438 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24119487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Revised: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 05/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 infects cells via its spike (S) protein binding to its surface receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and results in the production of multiple proinflammatory cytokines, especially in the lungs, leading to what is known as COVID-19. However, the cell source and the mechanism of secretion of such cytokines have not been adequately characterized. In this study, we used human cultured mast cells that are plentiful in the lungs and showed that recombinant SARS-CoV-2 full-length S protein (1-10 ng/mL), but not its receptor-binding domain (RBD), stimulates the secretion of the proinflammatory cytokine interleukin-1β (IL-1β) as well as the proteolytic enzymes chymase and tryptase. The secretion of IL-1β, chymase, and tryptase is augmented by the co-administration of interleukin-33 (IL-33) (30 ng/mL). This effect is mediated via toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) for IL-1β and via ACE2 for chymase and tryptase. These results provide evidence that the SARS-CoV-2 S protein contributes to inflammation by stimulating mast cells through different receptors and could lead to new targeted treatment approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Tsilioni
- Department of Immunology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02111, USA
| | - Theoharis C Theoharides
- Department of Immunology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02111, USA
- Institute of Neuro-Immune Medicine, Nova Southeastern University, Clearwater, FL 33759, USA
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8
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Nayak SS, Naidu A, Sudhakaran SL, Vino S, Selvaraj G. Prospects of Novel and Repurposed Immunomodulatory Drugs against Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) Associated with COVID-19 Disease. J Pers Med 2023; 13:664. [PMID: 37109050 PMCID: PMC10142859 DOI: 10.3390/jpm13040664] [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: 02/13/2023] [Revised: 04/09/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is intricately linked with SARS-CoV-2-associated disease severity and mortality, especially in patients with co-morbidities. Lung tissue injury caused as a consequence of ARDS leads to fluid build-up in the alveolar sacs, which in turn affects oxygen supply from the capillaries. ARDS is a result of a hyperinflammatory, non-specific local immune response (cytokine storm), which is aggravated as the virus evades and meddles with protective anti-viral innate immune responses. Treatment and management of ARDS remain a major challenge, first, because the condition develops as the virus keeps replicating and, therefore, immunomodulatory drugs are required to be used with caution. Second, the hyperinflammatory responses observed during ARDS are quite heterogeneous and dependent on the stage of the disease and the clinical history of the patients. In this review, we present different anti-rheumatic drugs, natural compounds, monoclonal antibodies, and RNA therapeutics and discuss their application in the management of ARDS. We also discuss on the suitability of each of these drug classes at different stages of the disease. In the last section, we discuss the potential applications of advanced computational approaches in identifying reliable drug targets and in screening out credible lead compounds against ARDS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Smruti Sudha Nayak
- Department of Bio-Sciences, School of Bio Sciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore 632014, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Akshayata Naidu
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Bio Sciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore 632014, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Sajitha Lulu Sudhakaran
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Bio Sciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore 632014, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Sundararajan Vino
- Department of Bio-Sciences, School of Bio Sciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore 632014, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Gurudeeban Selvaraj
- Centre for Research in Molecular Modeling, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Concordia University-Loyola Campus, Montreal, QC H4B 1R6, Canada
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Hawerkamp HC, Dyer AH, Patil ND, McElheron M, O’Dowd N, O’Doherty L, Mhaonaigh AU, George AM, O’Halloran AM, Reddy C, Kenny RA, Little MA, Martin-Loeches I, Bergin C, Kennelly SP, Donnelly SC, Bourke NM, Long A, Sui J, Doherty DG, Conlon N, Cheallaigh CN, Fallon PG. Characterisation of the pro-inflammatory cytokine signature in severe COVID-19. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1170012. [PMID: 37063871 PMCID: PMC10101230 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1170012] [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: 02/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Clinical outcomes from infection with SARS-CoV-2, the cause of the COVID-19 pandemic, are remarkably variable ranging from asymptomatic infection to severe pneumonia and death. One of the key drivers of this variability is differing trajectories in the immune response to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Many studies have noted markedly elevated cytokine levels in severe COVID-19, although results vary by cohort, cytokine studied and sensitivity of assay used. We assessed the immune response in acute COVID-19 by measuring 20 inflammatory markers in 118 unvaccinated patients with acute COVID-19 (median age: 70, IQR: 58-79 years; 48.3% female) recruited during the first year of the pandemic and 44 SARS-CoV-2 naïve healthy controls. Acute COVID-19 was associated with marked elevations in nearly all pro-inflammatory markers, whilst eleven markers (namely IL-1β, IL-2, IL-6, IL-10, IL-18, IL-23, IL-33, TNF-α, IP-10, G-CSF and YKL-40) were associated with disease severity. We observed significant correlations between nearly all markers elevated in those infected with SARS-CoV-2 consistent with widespread immune dysregulation. Principal component analysis highlighted a pro-inflammatory cytokine signature (with strongest contributions from IL-1β, IL-2, IL-6, IL-10, IL-33, G-CSF, TNF-α and IP-10) which was independently associated with severe COVID-19 (aOR: 1.40, 1.11-1.76, p=0.005), invasive mechanical ventilation (aOR: 1.61, 1.19-2.20, p=0.001) and mortality (aOR 1.57, 1.06-2.32, p = 0.02). Our findings demonstrate elevated cytokines and widespread immune dysregulation in severe COVID-19, adding further evidence for the role of a pro-inflammatory cytokine signature in severe and critical COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heike C. Hawerkamp
- School of Medicine, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Adam H. Dyer
- Department of Medical Gerontology, School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- Department of Age-Related Healthcare, Tallaght University Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
- *Correspondence: Adam H. Dyer, ; Padraic G. Fallon,
| | - Neha D. Patil
- School of Medicine, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Matt McElheron
- Department of Medical Gerontology, School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Niamh O’Dowd
- School of Medicine, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Laura O’Doherty
- Department of Infectious Diseases, St James’s Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Aisling Ui Mhaonaigh
- Trinity Kidney Centre, Trinity Translational Medicine Institute, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Angel M. George
- Trinity Kidney Centre, Trinity Translational Medicine Institute, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Aisling M. O’Halloran
- Department of Medical Gerontology, School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Conor Reddy
- Department of Medical Gerontology, School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Rose Anne Kenny
- Department of Medical Gerontology, School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Mark A. Little
- Trinity Kidney Centre, Trinity Translational Medicine Institute, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland
| | | | - Colm Bergin
- Department of Infectious Diseases, St James’s Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Trinity Translational Medicine Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Sean P. Kennelly
- Department of Medical Gerontology, School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- Department of Age-Related Healthcare, Tallaght University Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Seamas C. Donnelly
- School of Medicine, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Tallaght University Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Nollaig M. Bourke
- Department of Medical Gerontology, School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Aideen Long
- Trinity Translational Medicine Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Jacklyn Sui
- Department of Immunology, St James’s Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Derek G. Doherty
- Department of Immunology, Trinity Translational Medicine Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Niall Conlon
- Department of Immunology, St James’s Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Cliona Ni Cheallaigh
- Trinity Translational Medicine Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Padraic G. Fallon
- School of Medicine, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- Trinity Translational Medicine Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- *Correspondence: Adam H. Dyer, ; Padraic G. Fallon,
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Cytokine Levels and Severity of Illness Scoring Systems to Predict Mortality in COVID-19 Infection. Healthcare (Basel) 2023; 11:healthcare11030387. [PMID: 36766961 PMCID: PMC9914724 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare11030387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2022] [Revised: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Various scoring systems and cytokines have been cited as predicting disease severity in COVID-19 infection. This study analyzed the link between mortality rate, levels of cytokines, and scoring systems such as the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), Acute Physiologic Assessment and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II), Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA), and Charlson Comorbidity Index in patients infected with COVID-19. Adult patients infected with COVID-19 were followed up in the intensive care unit (ICU) and analyzed prospectively. We measured serum cytokine levels (Interleukin-10 (IL-10), Interleukin-8 (IL-8), Interleukin-6 (IL-6), Interleukin-1β (IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and High mobility group box 1 (HMGB-1)) and recorded GCS, APACHE II, SOFA, and Charlson comorbidity index scores on admission to the ICU. Receiver operating curve (ROC) analysis was performed to predict mortality from IL-1β, IL-6 IL-10, IL-8, TNF-α, and HMGB-1 values. Study participants were grouped as follows: Group A, survivors, and Group B, deceased, during the 28-day follow-up. The mean age was 65.69 (±13.56) in Group A (n = 36) and 70.85 (±10.06) in Group B (n = 27). The female/male ratio was 23/40. Age, sex, body mass index (BMI), comorbid illnesses, GCS, APACHE II, SOFA, and Charlson scores, duration of hospitalization or ICU admission, therapeutic choices, and lymphocyte, PMNL, NLR, platelet, D-dimer, fibrinogen, GGT, CRP, procalcitonin, and lactate levels were similar between the groups. The frequency of acute kidney injury (AKI) was higher in Group B (p = 0.005). Serum IL-10, IL-8, IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α, HMGB-1, ferritin, and LDH values were higher, and PaO2/FiO2 was lower in Group B than in Group A. ROC analysis showed that there was an association between serum IL-1β (>1015.7), serum IL-6 (>116.7), serum IL-8 (>258.4), serum IL-10 (>247.5), serum TNF-α (>280.7), and serum HMGB-1 (>23.5) and mortality. AKI gave rise to a greater risk of mortality (odds ratio: 7.081, p = 0.014). Mortality was associated with serum IL-10, IL-8, IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α, and HMGB-1 but not with GCS, APACHE II, SOFA, or Charlson comorbidity index scores. AKI increased the risk of mortality by seven times. Our findings suggest that cytokine levels (serum IL-10, IL-8, IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α, and HMGB-1) were predictors of mortality in COVID-19 infection. In addition, our results might give an opinion about the course of COVID-19 infection.
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