Project description:SARS-CoV-2 infections are a worldwide health concern, and new treatment strategies are needed for decreasing virus-induced inflammatory tissue damage. Targeting inflammatory innate immunity pathways holds therapeutic promise, but effective molecular targets remain elusive. Here, we show that the innate immunity proteins, human caspase-4 (CASP4), and its mouse homologue, caspase-11 (CASP11), are upregulated in SARS-CoV-2 infections, and that CASP4 expression correlates with severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection in humans. SARS-CoV-2-infected Casp11-/- mice experienced less severe infections in terms of weight loss and lung damage than WT mice. Notably, these phenotypes were not recapitulated in mice lacking the CASP11 downstream effector gasdermin D (Gsdmd-/-), though viral titers were similar in all groups. Global transcriptomics of infected WT and Casp11-/- lungs identified decreased inflammation and neutrophil gene signatures. We confirmed that protein levels of inflammatory mediators IL-1β and CXCL1, and neutrophil infiltration, were decreased in Casp11-/- lungs. Additionally, Casp11-/- lungs expressed less von Willebrand factor, a marker for endothelial dysfunction and more Kruppel-Like Factor 2 (KLF2), a transcription factor with anti-thrombotic functions. Thus, CASP11 is established as an upstream regulator of blood coagulopathy in SARS-CoV-2 infection. Overall, our results demonstrate that CASP11, promotes detrimental SARS-CoV-2-associated inflammation and coagulopathy, identifying CASP11 as a promising drug target for treatment and prevention of tissue damage in COVID-19.
Project description:We investigared the gene expression response of K18-ACE2 mices to Sars-Cov-2 infection. We compared gene expression profiles of control and infected mices at different time points as well as the infection from the Wuhan and Delta strains
Project description:To explore the relationship between SARS-CoV-2 infection in different time before operation and postoperative main complications (mortality, main pulmonary and cardiovascular complications) 30 days after operation; To determine the best timing of surgery after SARS-CoV-2 infection.