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Is Long COVID a State of Systemic Pericyte Disarray?
Olcay Y Jones1, Sencer Yeralan2
1Pediatric Rheumatology, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, MD 20889, USA.
Journal of Clinical Medicine
|February 15, 2022
Summary
Disarray of pericytes may explain Long COVID (Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 Infection). This research proposes pericytes
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Virology
- Pathology
Background:
- Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 Infection (PASC), or Long COVID, presents a challenge due to the disconnect between acute viral damage and persistent symptoms.
- Current understanding lacks clear evidence of ongoing post-infectious inflammation or autoimmune reactions driving Long COVID.
- The mechanisms underlying Long COVID remain poorly defined, hindering the development of effective treatments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To propose a novel hypothesis for the pathogenesis of Long COVID.
- To investigate the potential role of pericytes in the development of Long COVID.
- To explore Long COVID as a model for understanding complex adaptive system maladies.
Main Methods:
- Conceptual communication and theoretical framework development.
- Analysis of the 'Triple-A' qualities (analyze-adapt-advance) of pericytes in maintaining host homeostasis.
- Application of systems theory and complex adaptive systems principles to Long COVID pathophysiology.
Main Results:
- The study posits that disarray of pericytes is a central factor in the emergence of Long COVID.
- Pericytes are hypothesized to possess 'Triple-A' qualities crucial for sustaining host homeostasis.
- This framework suggests Long COVID may represent a new class of complex adaptive system maladies.
Conclusions:
- Pericyte dysfunction offers a potential unifying mechanism for Long COVID.
- Long COVID can serve as a valuable model for integrating systems biology and complex adaptive systems approaches.
- Further research is warranted to explore pericyte involvement and apply systems-level analysis to poorly defined diseases.
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