Hyaluronan in COVID-19: a matrix for understanding lung disease
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Published on: September 22, 2023
Rebecca J Dodd1,2, Judith E Allen1,2, Anthony J Day1,2
1Wellcome Centre for Cell-Matrix Research, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, United Kingdom.
Insights
Fragmented hyaluronan (HA) accumulates in the lungs of COVID-19 patients, with higher systemic HA levels linked to poorer lung function post-infection. This highlights HA
Area of Science:
- Pulmonary Medicine
- Immunology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Hyaluronan (HA) is a key lung extracellular matrix component.
- Increased HA levels are observed after influenza and SARS-CoV-2 infections.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate the role of fragmented HA in COVID-19 lung pathology.
- Assess systemic HA levels as a potential biomarker for COVID-19 severity and long-term lung function.
- Explore the molecular mechanisms of HA matrix organization by HA-binding proteins in COVID-19.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of fragmented hyaluronan accumulation in lung tissue.
- Correlation of systemic HA levels with lung function metrics at 3-6 months post-infection.
Main Results:
- Fragmented HA was found to accumulate in the lungs of COVID-19 patients.
- Systemic HA levels correlated with reduced lung function several months after infection.
Conclusions:
- HA fragmentation and altered systemic levels are implicated in COVID-19 pathology.
- HA may serve as a biomarker for disease severity and long-term respiratory outcomes.
- Further research is needed to elucidate the role of HA-binding proteins in the lung HA matrix and immune response regulation for therapeutic targeting.
Abstract:
The polysaccharide hyaluronan (HA) is an important component of lung extracellular matrix that increases following infection with influenza or severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Hellman et al. (U. Hellman, E. Rosendal, J. Lehrstrand, J. Henriksson, et al., mBio 15:e01303-24, https://doi.org/10.1128/mbio.01303-24) show that fragmented HA accumulates in the lungs of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients, with systemic levels of HA being associated with reduced lung function 3-6 months after infection. This study provides novel insights into HA's role in COVID-19 pathology and its potential utility as a biomarker for disease severity. However, much remains to be understood about the lung HA matrix in COVID-19 and how it compares to other lung conditions. In particular, the role of HA-binding proteins in organizing HA into a crosslinked network is yet to be fully determined at a molecular level. This knowledge is crucial in understanding the inter-relationships between the structure of the HA matrix and the regulation of the immune response, and thus our ability to target HA therapeutically for improved outcomes in COVID-19.
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