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Complement and endothelial cell activation in COVID-19 patients compared to controls with suspected SARS-CoV-2

Flavio Bruni1, Panteleimon Charitos1, Maurin Lampart2

  • 1Division of Internal Medicine, Department of Biomedicine and Department of Clinical Research, University Hospital Basel, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.

Frontiers in Immunology
|October 7, 2022
PubMed

Insights

COVID-19 patients show over-activated complement and endothelial cells compared to controls. This "over-activation" of thromboinflammation markers like C5a and VCAM-1 is linked to severe outcomes and sex differences in COVID-19.

Area of Science:

  • * Immunology
  • * Cardiovascular Medicine
  • * Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • * Thromboinflammation is implicated in COVID-19 disease severity.
  • * Understanding complement and endothelial activation is crucial for COVID-19 patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • * To evaluate complement and endothelial cell activation in COVID-19 patients.
  • * To compare activation markers between COVID-19 cases and controls with suspected but excluded SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Main Methods:

  • * Prospective, observational, single-center study.
  • * Recruitment of patients in the emergency department with suspected COVID-19.
  • * Analysis of C5a, sC5b-9, E-selectin, Galectin-3, ICAM-1, and VCAM-1 in blood samples.

Main Results:

  • * COVID-19 patients exhibited significantly elevated C5a and VCAM-1, and decreased E-selectin compared to controls.
  • * Elevated C5a, Galectin-3, ICAM-1, and VCAM-1 were associated with ICU admission or 30-day mortality, particularly in COVID-19 patients.
  • * COVID-19 males showed higher C5a and sC5b-9 levels than females, unlike controls.

Conclusions:

  • * COVID-19 is associated with complement cascade and endothelial activation beyond non-specific inflammation.
  • * This
Abstract

Keywords:
COVID-19E-SelectinICAM-1SARS-CoV-2VCAM-1complement systemendothelial cellsgalectin-3

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