Divergent autoantibody and cytokine levels in COVID-19 sepsis patients influence survival

Daniel Kühn ¹, Natalie Heinen ¹, Kathrin Sutter ^2,3

¹Department for Molecular and Medical Virology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany.
²Institute for Virology, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany.
³Institute for the Research on HIV and AIDS-associated diseases, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany.
⁴Leibniz Institute of Virology (LIV), Research Unit Emerging Viruses, Hamburg, Germany.
⁵European Virus Bioinformatics Center (EVBC), Jena, Germany.
⁶National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
⁷Department of Anesthesiology, Intensive Care Medicine and Pain Therapy, University Hospital Knappschaftskrankenhaus Bochum (KKB), Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany.
⁸Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, University Hospital Bonn (UKB), Bonn, Germany.
⁹Department of Anesthesiology, Intensive Care and Pain Medicine, University Hospital Münster (UKM), Münster, Germany.
¹⁰German Red Cross Blood Service NSTOB, Springe, Germany.
¹¹Institute of Virology and Cell Biology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany.

⁰Department for Molecular and Medical Virology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany.

Journal of Medical Virology +

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September 26, 2024

View abstract on PubMed

Summary

Autoantibodies and cytokine levels, including interferon-lambda1 and IP-10, are elevated in severe Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) sepsis patients. These markers may indicate prognosis for sepsis survival.

Area Of Science

Immunology
Infectious Diseases
Critical Care Medicine

Background

Sepsis and severe Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) share characteristics like immune dysregulation and organ dysfunction.
Autoantibodies play a significant role in both sepsis and severe COVID-19.
Understanding autoantibody profiles can elucidate disease mechanisms and patient outcomes.

Purpose Of The Study

To compare autoantibody profiles in sepsis patients with and without COVID-19.
To analyze cytokine levels in these patient groups.
To investigate correlations between autoantibodies, cytokines, and 30-day survival.

Main Methods

Luciferase immunoprecipitation systems (LIPS) assay used to measure autoantibodies against cytokines, lung proteins, and SARS-CoV-2.
LEGENDplex™ Human Antivirus Response Panel employed for cytokine titer measurement.
Comparison of autoantibody and cytokine levels between COVID-19-Sepsis and Sepsis groups.

Main Results

Elevated autoantibodies detected in 59% of COVID-19-Sepsis patients versus 48% of Sepsis patients.
Significant differences in autoantibodies against gATPase observed between groups.
Higher levels of interferon (IFN)-λ1 and IP-10 noted in the COVID-19-Sepsis group.
Correlations found between autoantibodies, cytokines, and 30-day survival.

Conclusions

Distinct autoantibody profiles and elevated cytokine levels (IFN-λ1, IP-10) characterize COVID-19-Sepsis.
Autoantibodies and cytokines may serve as prognostic indicators for sepsis survival.
These findings highlight complex immune responses in sepsis and COVID-19, impacting patient outcomes.

Keywords:

COVID‐19 SARS‐CoV‐2 autoantibodies cytokines sepsis survival