Endothelial thrombomodulin downregulation caused by hypoxia contributes to severe infiltration and coagulopathy in COVID-19 patient lungs.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Thromboembolism is a life-threatening manifestation of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We investigated a dysfunctional phenotype of vascular endothelial cells in the lungs during COVID-19.

Methods

We obtained the lung specimens from the patients who died of COVID-19. The phenotype of endothelial cells and immune cells was examined by flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry (IHC) analysis. We tested the presence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in the endothelium using IHC and electron microscopy.

Findings

The autopsy lungs of COVID-19 patients exhibited severe coagulation abnormalities, immune cell infiltration, and platelet activation. Pulmonary endothelial cells of COVID-19 patients showed increased expression of procoa

SUBMITTER: Won T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8756077 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature