tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
J Med Virol
. 2022 Sep 10.
doi: 10.1002/jmv.28134. Online ahead of print.
COVID-19 is associated with bystander polyclonal autoreactive B cell activation as reflected by a broad autoantibody production, but none is linked to disease severity
Wei Jiang[SUP] 1 2 3 [/SUP], Douglas Johnson[SUP] 1 3 [/SUP], Ruth Adekunle[SUP] 2 3 [/SUP], Hughes Heather[SUP] 2 3 [/SUP], Wanli Xu[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Xiaomei Cong[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Xueling Wu[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Hongkuan Fan[SUP] 6 7 [/SUP], Lars-Magnus Andersson[SUP] 8 9 [/SUP], Josefina Robertson[SUP] 8 9 [/SUP], Magnus Gisslén[SUP] 8 9 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
Background: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is associated with autoimmune features and autoantibody production in a small subset of the population. Pre-existing neutralizing anti-type I interferons (IFNs) autoantibodies are related to the severity of COVID-19.
Methods: Plasma levels of IgG and IgM against 12 viral antigens and 103 self-antigens were evaluated using an antibody protein array in patients with severe/critical or mild/moderate COVID-19 disease and uninfected controls.
Results: Patients exhibited increased IgGs against SARS-CoV-2 proteins compared to controls, but no difference was observed in the two patient groups. 78% autoreactive IgGs and 93% autoreactive IgMs were increased in patients versus controls. There was no difference in the plasma levels of anti-type I IFN autoantibodies or neutralizing anti-type I IFN activity of plasma samples from the two patient groups. Increased anti-type I IFN IgGs were correlated with higher lymphocyte accounts, suggesting a role of non-pathogenic autoantibodies. Notably, among the 115 antibodies tested, only plasma levels of IgGs against human coronavirus (HCOV)-229E and HCOV-NL63 spike proteins were associated with mild disease outcome.
Conclusion: COVID-19 was associated with a bystander polyclonal autoreactive B cell activation, but none of the autoantibody levels were linked to disease severity. Long-term humoral immunity against HCOV-22E and HCOV-NL63 spike protein was associated with mild disease outcome. Understanding the mechanism of life-threatening COVID-19 is critical to reducing mortality and morbidity. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; autoantibodies; autoantibodies against type I interferons.
. 2022 Sep 10.
doi: 10.1002/jmv.28134. Online ahead of print.
COVID-19 is associated with bystander polyclonal autoreactive B cell activation as reflected by a broad autoantibody production, but none is linked to disease severity
Wei Jiang[SUP] 1 2 3 [/SUP], Douglas Johnson[SUP] 1 3 [/SUP], Ruth Adekunle[SUP] 2 3 [/SUP], Hughes Heather[SUP] 2 3 [/SUP], Wanli Xu[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Xiaomei Cong[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Xueling Wu[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Hongkuan Fan[SUP] 6 7 [/SUP], Lars-Magnus Andersson[SUP] 8 9 [/SUP], Josefina Robertson[SUP] 8 9 [/SUP], Magnus Gisslén[SUP] 8 9 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 36086941
- DOI: 10.1002/jmv.28134
Abstract
Background: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is associated with autoimmune features and autoantibody production in a small subset of the population. Pre-existing neutralizing anti-type I interferons (IFNs) autoantibodies are related to the severity of COVID-19.
Methods: Plasma levels of IgG and IgM against 12 viral antigens and 103 self-antigens were evaluated using an antibody protein array in patients with severe/critical or mild/moderate COVID-19 disease and uninfected controls.
Results: Patients exhibited increased IgGs against SARS-CoV-2 proteins compared to controls, but no difference was observed in the two patient groups. 78% autoreactive IgGs and 93% autoreactive IgMs were increased in patients versus controls. There was no difference in the plasma levels of anti-type I IFN autoantibodies or neutralizing anti-type I IFN activity of plasma samples from the two patient groups. Increased anti-type I IFN IgGs were correlated with higher lymphocyte accounts, suggesting a role of non-pathogenic autoantibodies. Notably, among the 115 antibodies tested, only plasma levels of IgGs against human coronavirus (HCOV)-229E and HCOV-NL63 spike proteins were associated with mild disease outcome.
Conclusion: COVID-19 was associated with a bystander polyclonal autoreactive B cell activation, but none of the autoantibody levels were linked to disease severity. Long-term humoral immunity against HCOV-22E and HCOV-NL63 spike protein was associated with mild disease outcome. Understanding the mechanism of life-threatening COVID-19 is critical to reducing mortality and morbidity. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; autoantibodies; autoantibodies against type I interferons.