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Plasma Linoleate Diols Are Potential Biomarkers for Severe COVID-19 Infections
Cindy B McReynolds1,2, Irene Cortes-Puch1,2,3, Resmi Ravindran4
1Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States.
Frontiers in Physiology
|April 19, 2021
Summary
Increased leukotoxin diols, linked to severe COVID-19 lung issues, were found in patients. These lipids may drive disease severity, warranting further study for diagnostic and therapeutic insights.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Immunology
- Pathophysiology
Background:
- Polyunsaturated fatty acids metabolize into regulatory lipids crucial for inflammation and resolution.
- Epoxides of linoleic acid (leukotoxins) impact barrier functions and are linked to adverse outcomes in sepsis and burns.
- Leukotoxin diols, metabolites of leukotoxins, are implicated in toxicity, as blocking their formation improves outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of leukotoxin diols in COVID-19 pathogenesis.
- To identify potential lipid biomarkers for severe COVID-19 pulmonary involvement.
Main Methods:
- Quantitative profiling of fatty acid mediators (eicosanoids) in COVID-19 patient plasma.
- Analysis of regioisomeric leukotoxin diols in relation to disease severity.
Main Results:
- Elevated levels of leukotoxin diols were detected in hospitalized COVID-19 patients with severe pulmonary involvement.
- In rodent models, these diols induce significant vascular permeability and acute respiratory distress symptoms.
Conclusions:
- Leukotoxin diols are associated with severe COVID-19 pulmonary pathology.
- Investigating pathways of leukotoxin diol biosynthesis and degradation is crucial for understanding COVID-19.
- Incorporating diols into multi-omics analyses may reveal COVID-19's pathological signature.
