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Shafqat A, Masters MC, Tripathi U, Tchkonia T, Kirkland JL, Hashmi SK. Long COVID as a disease of accelerated biological aging: An opportunity to translate geroscience interventions. Ageing Res Rev 2024; 99:102400. [PMID: 38945306 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2024.102400] [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: 04/21/2024] [Revised: 06/12/2024] [Accepted: 06/27/2024] [Indexed: 07/02/2024]
Abstract
It has been four years since long COVID-the protracted consequences that survivors of COVID-19 face-was first described. Yet, this entity continues to devastate the quality of life of an increasing number of COVID-19 survivors without any approved therapy and a paucity of clinical trials addressing its biological root causes. Notably, many of the symptoms of long COVID are typically seen with advancing age. Leveraging this similarity, we posit that Geroscience-which aims to target the biological drivers of aging to prevent age-associated conditions as a group-could offer promising therapeutic avenues for long COVID. Bearing this in mind, this review presents a translational framework for studying long COVID as a state of effectively accelerated biological aging, identifying research gaps and offering recommendations for future preclinical and clinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Areez Shafqat
- College of Medicine, Alfaisal University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
| | - Mary Clare Masters
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Utkarsh Tripathi
- Robert and Arlene Kogod Center on Aging, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Tamara Tchkonia
- Robert and Arlene Kogod Center on Aging, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA; Department of Physiology and Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - James L Kirkland
- Robert and Arlene Kogod Center on Aging, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA; Department of Physiology and Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA; Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Shahrukh K Hashmi
- Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA; Research and Innovation Center, Department of Health, Abu Dhabi, UAE; College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
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Heil M. Self-DNA driven inflammation in COVID-19 and after mRNA-based vaccination: lessons for non-COVID-19 pathologies. Front Immunol 2024; 14:1259879. [PMID: 38439942 PMCID: PMC10910434 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1259879] [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: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 12/26/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2024] Open
Abstract
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic triggered an unprecedented concentration of economic and research efforts to generate knowledge at unequalled speed on deregulated interferon type I signalling and nuclear factor kappa light chain enhancer in B-cells (NF-κB)-driven interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-18 secretion causing cytokine storms. The translation of the knowledge on how the resulting systemic inflammation can lead to life-threatening complications into novel treatments and vaccine technologies is underway. Nevertheless, previously existing knowledge on the role of cytoplasmatic or circulating self-DNA as a pro-inflammatory damage-associated molecular pattern (DAMP) was largely ignored. Pathologies reported 'de novo' for patients infected with Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (SARS-CoV)-2 to be outcomes of self-DNA-driven inflammation in fact had been linked earlier to self-DNA in different contexts, e.g., the infection with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)-1, sterile inflammation, and autoimmune diseases. I highlight particularly how synergies with other DAMPs can render immunogenic properties to normally non-immunogenic extracellular self-DNA, and I discuss the shared features of the gp41 unit of the HIV-1 envelope protein and the SARS-CoV 2 Spike protein that enable HIV-1 and SARS-CoV-2 to interact with cell or nuclear membranes, trigger syncytia formation, inflict damage to their host's DNA, and trigger inflammation - likely for their own benefit. These similarities motivate speculations that similar mechanisms to those driven by gp41 can explain how inflammatory self-DNA contributes to some of most frequent adverse events after vaccination with the BNT162b2 mRNA (Pfizer/BioNTech) or the mRNA-1273 (Moderna) vaccine, i.e., myocarditis, herpes zoster, rheumatoid arthritis, autoimmune nephritis or hepatitis, new-onset systemic lupus erythematosus, and flare-ups of psoriasis or lupus. The hope is to motivate a wider application of the lessons learned from the experiences with COVID-19 and the new mRNA vaccines to combat future non-COVID-19 diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Heil
- Departamento de Ingeniería Genética, Laboratorio de Ecología de Plantas, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados (CINVESTAV)-Unidad Irapuato, Irapuato, Mexico
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Edinger F, Edinger S, Schmidt G, Koch C, Sander M, Schneck E. The Role of the Kinin System and the Effect of Des-Arginine 9-Bradykinin on Coagulation and Platelet Function in Critically Ill COVID-19 Patients: A Secondary Analysis of a Prospective Observational Study. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:2342. [PMID: 38397016 PMCID: PMC10889556 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25042342] [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: 01/17/2024] [Revised: 02/10/2024] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The effect of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) on the coagulation system is not fully understood. SARS-CoV-2 penetrates cells through angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptors, leading to its downregulation. Des-arginine9-bradykinin (DA9B) is degraded by ACE2 and causes vasodilation and increased vascular permeability. Furthermore, DA9B is associated with impaired platelet function. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of DA9B on platelet function and coagulopathy in critically ill coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients. In total, 29 polymerase-positive SARS-CoV-2 patients admitted to the intensive care unit of the University Hospital of Giessen and 29 healthy controls were included. Blood samples were taken, and platelet impedance aggregometry and rotational thromboelastometry were performed. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays measured the concentrations of DA9B, bradykinin, and angiotensin 2. Significantly increased concentrations of DA9B and angiotensin 2 were found in the COVID-19 patients. A negative effect of DA9B on platelet function and intrinsic coagulation was also found. A sub-analysis of moderate and severe acute respiratory distress syndrome patients revealed a negative association between DA9B and platelet counts and fibrinogen levels. DA9B provokes inhibitory effects on the intrinsic coagulation system in COVID-19 patients. This negative feedback seems reasonable as bradykinin, which is transformed to DA9B, is released after contact activation. Nevertheless, further studies are needed to confirm our findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabian Edinger
- Department of Anesthesiology, Operative Intensive Care Medicine and Pain Therapy, University Hospital, Justus-Liebig-University, 35392 Giessen, Germany
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Schmidt G, Martens A, Koch C, Markmann M, Schneck E, Matt U, Hecker M, Tello K, Wolff M, Sander M, Vadász I. Nucleated red blood cells are a late biomarker in predicting intensive care unit mortality in patients with COVID-19 acute respiratory distress syndrome: an observational cohort study. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1313977. [PMID: 38304431 PMCID: PMC10830722 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1313977] [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: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Nucleated red blood cells (nRBC) are precursor cells of the erythropoiesis that are absent from the peripheral blood under physiological conditions. Their presence is associated with adverse outcomes in critically ill patients. This study aimed to evaluate the predictive value of nRBC on mortality in intensive care unit (ICU) patients with COVID-19 acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Material and methods This retrospective, observational cohort study analyzed data on 206 ICU patients diagnosed with COVID-19 ARDS between March 2020 and March 2022. The primary endpoint was ICU mortality, and secondary endpoints included ICU and hospital stay lengths, ventilation hours, and the time courses of disease severity scores and clinical and laboratory parameters. Results Among the included patients, 68.9% tested positive for nRBC at least once during their ICU stay. A maximum nRBC of 105 µl-1 had the highest accuracy in predicting ICU mortality (area under the curve of the receiver operating characteristic [AUCROC] 0.780, p < 0.001, sensitivity 69.0%, specificity 75.5%). Mortality was significantly higher among patients with nRBC >105 µl-1 than ≤105 µl-1 (86.5% vs. 51.3%, p = 0.008). Compared to patients negative for nRBC in their peripheral blood, those positive for nRBC required longer mechanical ventilation (127 [44 - 289] h vs. 517 [255 - 950] h, p < 0.001), ICU stays (12 [8 - 19] vs. 27 [13 - 51] d, p < 0.001), and hospital stays (19 [12 - 29] d vs. 31 [16 - 58] d, p < 0.001). Peak Sepsis-related Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA), Simplified Acute Physiology Score, PaO2/FiO2, interleukin-6, and procalcitonin values were reached before the peak nRBC level. However, the predictive performance of the SOFA (AUCROC 0.842, p < 0.001) was considerably improved when a maximum SOFA score >8 and nRBC >105 µl-1 were combined. Discussion nRBC predict ICU mortality and indicate disease severity among patients with COVID-19 ARDS, and they should be considered a clinical alarm signal for a worse outcome. nRBC are a late predictor of ICU mortality compared to other established clinical scoring systems and laboratory parameters but improve the prediction accuracy when combined with the SOFA score.
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Affiliation(s)
- Götz Schmidt
- Department of Anesthesiology, Intensive Care Medicine and Pain Therapy, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Arnd Martens
- Department of Anesthesiology, Intensive Care Medicine and Pain Therapy, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Christian Koch
- Department of Anesthesiology, Intensive Care Medicine and Pain Therapy, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Melanie Markmann
- Department of Anesthesiology, Intensive Care Medicine and Pain Therapy, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Emmanuel Schneck
- Department of Anesthesiology, Intensive Care Medicine and Pain Therapy, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Ulrich Matt
- Department of Internal Medicine V, Universities of Giessen and Marburg Lung Center (UGMLC), Excellence Cluster Cardiopulmonary Institute (CPI), Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Justus-Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
| | - Matthias Hecker
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Universities of Giessen and Marburg Lung Center (UGMLC), Excellence Cluster Cardiopulmonary Institute (CPI), Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Justus-Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
| | - Khodr Tello
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Universities of Giessen and Marburg Lung Center (UGMLC), Excellence Cluster Cardiopulmonary Institute (CPI), Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Justus-Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
| | - Matthias Wolff
- Department of Anesthesiology, Intensive Care Medicine and Pain Therapy, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Michael Sander
- Department of Anesthesiology, Intensive Care Medicine and Pain Therapy, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - István Vadász
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Universities of Giessen and Marburg Lung Center (UGMLC), Excellence Cluster Cardiopulmonary Institute (CPI), Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Justus-Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
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Shoraka S, Mohebbi SR, Hosseini SM, Zali MR. Comparison of plasma mitochondrial DNA copy number in asymptomatic and symptomatic COVID-19 patients. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1256042. [PMID: 37869674 PMCID: PMC10587688 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1256042] [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: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, a wide clinical spectrum, from asymptomatic infection to mild or severe disease and death, have been reported in COVID-19 patients. Studies have suggested several possible factors, which may affect the clinical outcome of COVID-19. A pro-inflammatory state and impaired antiviral response have been suggested as major contributing factors in severe COVID-19. Considering that mitochondria have an important role in regulating the immune responses to pathogens, pro-inflammatory signaling, and cell death, it has received much attention in SARS-CoV-2 infection. Recent studies have demonstrated that high levels of cell-free mitochondrial DNA (cf-mtDNA) are associated with an increased risk of COVID-19 intensive care unit (ICU) admission and mortality. However, there have been few studies on cf-mtDNA in SARS-CoV-2 infection, mainly focusing on critically ill COVID-19 cases. In the present study, we investigated cf-mtDNA copy number in COVID-19 patients and compared between asymptomatic and symptomatic cases, and assessed the clinical values. We also determined the cf-nuclear DNA (cf-nDNA) copy number and mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM) mRNA level in the studied groups. Materials and methods Plasma and buffy coat samples were collected from 37 COVID-19 patients and 33 controls. Briefly, after total DNA extraction, plasma cf-mtDNA, and cf-nDNA copy numbers were measured by absolute qPCR using a standard curve method. Furthermore, after total RNA extraction from buffy coat and cDNA synthesis, TFAM mRNA levels were evaluated by qPCR. Results The results showed that cf-mtDNA levels in asymptomatic COVID-19 patients were statistically significantly higher than in symptomatic cases (p value = 0.01). However, cf-nDNA levels were higher in symptomatic patients than in asymptomatic cases (p value = 0.00). There was no significant difference between TFAM levels in the buffy coat of these two groups (p value > 0.05). Also, cf-mtDNA levels showed good diagnostic potential in COVID-19 subgroups. Conclusion cf-mtDNA is probably important in the outcome of SARS-CoV-2 infection due to its role in inflammation and immune response. It can also be a promising candidate biomarker for the diagnosis of COVID-19 subgroups. Further investigation will help understanding the COVID-19 pathophysiology and effective diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shahrzad Shoraka
- Department of Microbiology and Microbial Biotechnology, Faculty of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Seyed Reza Mohebbi
- Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases Research Center, Research Institute for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Seyed Masoud Hosseini
- Department of Microbiology and Microbial Biotechnology, Faculty of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Reza Zali
- Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases Research Center, Research Institute for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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Shoraka S, Samarasinghe AE, Ghaemi A, Mohebbi SR. Host mitochondria: more than an organelle in SARS-CoV-2 infection. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 13:1228275. [PMID: 37692170 PMCID: PMC10485703 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1228275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Since December 2019, the world has been facing viral pandemic called COVID-19 (Coronavirus disease 2019) caused by a new beta-coronavirus named severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2, or SARS-CoV-2. COVID-19 patients may present with a wide range of symptoms, from asymptomatic to requiring intensive care support. The severe form of COVID-19 is often marked by an altered immune response and cytokine storm. Advanced age, age-related and underlying diseases, including metabolic syndromes, appear to contribute to increased COVID-19 severity and mortality suggesting a role for mitochondria in disease pathogenesis. Furthermore, since the immune system is associated with mitochondria and its damage-related molecular patterns (mtDAMPs), the host mitochondrial system may play an important role during viral infections. Viruses have evolved to modulate the immune system and mitochondrial function for survival and proliferation, which in turn could lead to cellular stress and contribute to disease progression. Recent studies have focused on the possible roles of mitochondria in SARS-CoV-2 infection. It has been suggested that mitochondrial hijacking by SARS-CoV-2 could be a key factor in COVID-19 pathogenesis. In this review, we discuss the roles of mitochondria in viral infections including SARS-CoV-2 infection based on past and present knowledge. Paying attention to the role of mitochondria in SARS-CoV-2 infection will help to better understand the pathophysiology of COVID-19 and to achieve effective methods of prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shahrzad Shoraka
- Basic and Molecular Epidemiology of Gastrointestinal Disorders Research Center, Research Institute for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Microbiology and Microbial Biotechnology, Faculty of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Amali E. Samarasinghe
- Division of Pulmonology, Allergy and Immunology, Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, United States
- Children’s Foundation Research Institute, Memphis, TN, United States
| | - Amir Ghaemi
- Department of Virology, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Seyed Reza Mohebbi
- Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases Research Center, Research Institute for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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Theoharides TC, Kempuraj D. Potential Role of Moesin in Regulating Mast Cell Secretion. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:12081. [PMID: 37569454 PMCID: PMC10418457 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241512081] [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: 06/27/2023] [Revised: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Mast cells have existed for millions of years in species that never suffer from allergic reactions. Hence, in addition to allergies, mast cells can play a critical role in homeostasis and inflammation via secretion of numerous vasoactive, pro-inflammatory and neuro-sensitizing mediators. Secretion may utilize different modes that involve the cytoskeleton, but our understanding of the molecular mechanisms regulating secretion is still not well understood. The Ezrin/Radixin/Moesin (ERM) family of proteins is involved in linking cell surface-initiated signaling to the actin cytoskeleton. However, how ERMs may regulate secretion from mast cells is still poorly understood. ERMs contain two functional domains connected through a long α-helix region, the N-terminal FERM (band 4.1 protein-ERM) domain and the C-terminal ERM association domain (C-ERMAD). The FERM domain and the C-ERMAD can bind to each other in a head-to-tail manner, leading to a closed/inactive conformation. Typically, phosphorylation on the C-terminus Thr has been associated with the activation of ERMs, including secretion from macrophages and platelets. It has previously been shown that the ability of the so-called mast cell "stabilizer" disodium cromoglycate (cromolyn) to inhibit secretion from rat mast cells closely paralleled the phosphorylation of a 78 kDa protein, which was subsequently shown to be moesin, a member of ERMs. Interestingly, the phosphorylation of moesin during the inhibition of mast cell secretion was on the N-terminal Ser56/74 and Thr66 residues. This phosphorylation pattern could lock moesin in its inactive state and render it inaccessible to binding to the Soluble NSF attachment protein receptors (SNAREs) and synaptosomal-associated proteins (SNAPs) critical for exocytosis. Using confocal microscopic imaging, we showed moesin was found to colocalize with actin and cluster around secretory granules during inhibition of secretion. In conclusion, the phosphorylation pattern and localization of moesin may be important in the regulation of mast cell secretion and could be targeted for the development of effective inhibitors of secretion of allergic and inflammatory mediators from mast cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Theoharis C. Theoharides
- Institute for Neuro-Immune Medicine, Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33328, USA;
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunopharmacology and Drug Discovery, Department of Immunology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02111, USA
| | - Duraisamy Kempuraj
- Institute for Neuro-Immune Medicine, Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33328, USA;
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