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Published on: May 5, 2023
Erythrocytes Induce Vascular Dysfunction in COVID-19
Ali Mahdi1, Aida Collado1, John Tengbom1
1Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
Insights
Red blood cells play a key role in COVID-19 vascular dysfunction. Targeting reactive oxygen species or arginase 1 in red blood cells may improve endothelial function and alleviate complications.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Research
- Hematology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Mechanisms of COVID-19 cardiovascular complications are not fully understood.
- Endothelial dysfunction is a significant concern in COVID-19 patients.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify novel mechanisms of COVID-19-associated vascular dysfunction.
- To investigate the role of red blood cells in COVID-19 vascular complications.
Main Methods:
- In vivo assessment of endothelial function in COVID-19 patients.
- Investigated the impact of targeting reactive oxygen species and arginase 1.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated profound and persistent endothelial dysfunction in COVID-19 patients.
- Identified red blood cells as a key driver of this vascular dysfunction.
- Showed that targeting reactive oxygen species or arginase 1 ameliorates red blood cell-mediated vascular dysfunction.
Conclusions:
- Red blood cells contribute significantly to COVID-19-related vascular dysfunction.
- Restoring redox balance in red blood cells shows therapeutic potential for COVID-19 vascular complications.
Abstract:
Current knowledge regarding mechanisms underlying cardiovascular complications in patients with COVID-19 is limited and urgently needed. We shed light on a previously unrecognized mechanism and unravel a key role of red blood cells, driving vascular dysfunction in patients with COVID-19 infection. We establish the presence of profound and persistent endothelial dysfunction in vivo in patients with COVID-19. Mechanistically, we show that targeting reactive oxygen species or arginase 1 improves vascular dysfunction mediated by red blood cells. These translational observations hold promise that restoring the redox balance in red blood cells might alleviate the clinical complications of COVID-19-associated vascular dysfunction.
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