tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Virol J
. 2023 Feb 21;20(1):33.
doi: 10.1186/s12985-023-01989-1.
The detectable anti-interferon-γ autoantibodies in COVID-19 patients may be associated with disease severity
Po-Ku Chen[SUP] 1 2 3 [/SUP], Kai-Jieh Yeo[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Shih-Hsin Chang[SUP] 1 2 4 [/SUP], Tsai-Ling Liao[SUP] 4 5 [/SUP], Chia-Hui Chou[SUP] 2 6 [/SUP], Joung-Liang Lan[SUP] 1 2 7 [/SUP], Ching-Kun Chang[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Der-Yuan Chen[SUP] 8 9 10 11 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
Background: Neutralizing anti-interferon (IFN)-γ autoantibodies are linked to adult-onset immunodeficiency and opportunistic infections.
Methods: To explore whether anti-IFN-γ autoantibodies are associated with disease severity of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), we examined the titers and functional neutralization of anti-IFN-γ autoantibodies in COVID-19 patients. In 127 COVID-19 patients and 22 healthy controls, serum titers of anti-IFN-γ autoantibodies were quantified using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and the presence of autoantibodies was verified with immunoblotting assay. The neutralizing capacity against IFN-γ was evaluated with flow cytometry analysis and immunoblotting, and serum cytokines levels were determined using the MULTIPLEX platform.
Results: A higher proportion of severe/critical COVID-19 patients had positivity for anti-IFN-γ autoantibodies (18.0%) compared with non-severe patients (3.4%, p < 0.01) or healthy control (HC) (0.0%, p < 0.05). Severe/critical COVID-19 patients also had higher median titers of anti-IFN-γ autoantibodies (5.01) compared with non-severe patients (1.33) or HC (0.44). The immunoblotting assay could verify the detectable anti-IFN-γ autoantibodies and revealed more effective inhibition of signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT1) phosphorylation on THP-1 cells treated with serum samples from anti-IFN-γ autoantibodies-positive patients compared with those from HC (2.21 ± 0.33 versus 4.47 ± 1.64, p < 0.05). In flow-cytometry analysis, sera from autoantibodies-positive patients could also significantly more effectively suppress the STAT1 phosphorylation (median,67.28%, interquartile range [IQR] 55.2-78.0%) compared with serum from HC (median,106.7%, IQR 100.0-117.8%, p < 0.05) or autoantibodies-negative patients (median,105.9%, IQR 85.5-116.3%, p < 0.05). Multivariate analysis revealed that the positivity and titers of anti-IFN-γ autoantibodies were significant predictors of severe/critical COVID-19. Compared with non-severe COVID-19 patients, we reveal that a significantly higher proportion of severe/critical COVID-19 patients are positive for anti-IFN-γ autoantibodies with neutralizing capacity.
Conclusion: Our results would add COVID-19 to the list of diseases with the presence of neutralizing anti-IFN-γ autoAbs. Anti-IFN-γ autoantibodies positivity is a potential predictor of severe/critical COVID-19.
Keywords: Anti-interferon-γ auto-Abs; COVID-19; Disease severity; SARS-CoV-2; Titers.
. 2023 Feb 21;20(1):33.
doi: 10.1186/s12985-023-01989-1.
The detectable anti-interferon-γ autoantibodies in COVID-19 patients may be associated with disease severity
Po-Ku Chen[SUP] 1 2 3 [/SUP], Kai-Jieh Yeo[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Shih-Hsin Chang[SUP] 1 2 4 [/SUP], Tsai-Ling Liao[SUP] 4 5 [/SUP], Chia-Hui Chou[SUP] 2 6 [/SUP], Joung-Liang Lan[SUP] 1 2 7 [/SUP], Ching-Kun Chang[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Der-Yuan Chen[SUP] 8 9 10 11 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 36810114
- DOI: 10.1186/s12985-023-01989-1
Abstract
Background: Neutralizing anti-interferon (IFN)-γ autoantibodies are linked to adult-onset immunodeficiency and opportunistic infections.
Methods: To explore whether anti-IFN-γ autoantibodies are associated with disease severity of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), we examined the titers and functional neutralization of anti-IFN-γ autoantibodies in COVID-19 patients. In 127 COVID-19 patients and 22 healthy controls, serum titers of anti-IFN-γ autoantibodies were quantified using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and the presence of autoantibodies was verified with immunoblotting assay. The neutralizing capacity against IFN-γ was evaluated with flow cytometry analysis and immunoblotting, and serum cytokines levels were determined using the MULTIPLEX platform.
Results: A higher proportion of severe/critical COVID-19 patients had positivity for anti-IFN-γ autoantibodies (18.0%) compared with non-severe patients (3.4%, p < 0.01) or healthy control (HC) (0.0%, p < 0.05). Severe/critical COVID-19 patients also had higher median titers of anti-IFN-γ autoantibodies (5.01) compared with non-severe patients (1.33) or HC (0.44). The immunoblotting assay could verify the detectable anti-IFN-γ autoantibodies and revealed more effective inhibition of signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT1) phosphorylation on THP-1 cells treated with serum samples from anti-IFN-γ autoantibodies-positive patients compared with those from HC (2.21 ± 0.33 versus 4.47 ± 1.64, p < 0.05). In flow-cytometry analysis, sera from autoantibodies-positive patients could also significantly more effectively suppress the STAT1 phosphorylation (median,67.28%, interquartile range [IQR] 55.2-78.0%) compared with serum from HC (median,106.7%, IQR 100.0-117.8%, p < 0.05) or autoantibodies-negative patients (median,105.9%, IQR 85.5-116.3%, p < 0.05). Multivariate analysis revealed that the positivity and titers of anti-IFN-γ autoantibodies were significant predictors of severe/critical COVID-19. Compared with non-severe COVID-19 patients, we reveal that a significantly higher proportion of severe/critical COVID-19 patients are positive for anti-IFN-γ autoantibodies with neutralizing capacity.
Conclusion: Our results would add COVID-19 to the list of diseases with the presence of neutralizing anti-IFN-γ autoAbs. Anti-IFN-γ autoantibodies positivity is a potential predictor of severe/critical COVID-19.
Keywords: Anti-interferon-γ auto-Abs; COVID-19; Disease severity; SARS-CoV-2; Titers.