Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT: Aims
This study aims to cast light on immunocytometric alterations in COVID-19, a potentially fatal viral infection with heterogeneous clinical expression and a not completely defined pathophysiology.Methods
We studied 35 COVID patients at hospital admission testing by cytofluorimetry a large panel of lymphocyte subpopulations and serum tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-6, IL-17A and the soluble receptor of IL-17A (IL-17RA).Key findings
At hospital admission, total lymphocytes and most T and B subpopulations were reduced in 50-80% of patients, with close relationship to disease severity. While activated T helper 1 (TH1) and TH17 cells resulted normal or higher. Serum IL-6 was increased in all patients, while TNF-α and IL-17A were higher in advanced stages. A patient subset with low severity had very high IL-17RA levels. Tocilizumab treatment caused an increase of IL-17A in 3/6 patients and a reduction in 3 others, while the lymphocyte number increased in 3 patients and did not change in the others.Significance
Cytofluorimetry revealed a functional exhaustion of most lymphocyte populations in COVID patients not involving activated TH1 and TH17. Consequently, there was a relevant cytokines production that contributes to impair the respiratory inflammation. The increase of TH17 and IL-17 in a subset of cases and the evidence of a significant increase of IL-17RA (that prevents the interaction of IL-17 with the cell receptor) in patients with low severity suggest that some patients could benefit from monoclonal antibodies treatment targeting IL-17 pathway. Immunocytofluorimetric markers may contribute to a personalized therapy in COVID patients.
SUBMITTER: Cacciapuoti S
PROVIDER: S-EPMC7456265 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Nov
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Cacciapuoti Sara S De Rosa Annunziata A Gelzo Monica M Megna Matteo M Raia Maddalena M Pinchera Biagio B Pontarelli Agostina A Scotto Riccardo R Scala Emanuele E Scarano Francesco F Scalia Giulia G Castaldo Giuseppe G Fabbrocini Gabriella G Gentile Ivan I Parrella Roberto R
Life sciences 20200829
<h4>Aims</h4>This study aims to cast light on immunocytometric alterations in COVID-19, a potentially fatal viral infection with heterogeneous clinical expression and a not completely defined pathophysiology.<h4>Methods</h4>We studied 35 COVID patients at hospital admission testing by cytofluorimetry a large panel of lymphocyte subpopulations and serum tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-6, IL-17A and the soluble receptor of IL-17A (IL-17RA).<h4>Key findings</h4>At hospital admission ...[more]