Total plasma N-glycomic patterns of COVID-19 disease

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry
• Immunology
• Virology

Background:

• Plasma N-glycans are known to change in various disease states.
• However, their specific alterations in response to SARS-CoV-2 infection remain under-investigated.
• Understanding these changes could offer insights into disease mechanisms.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify specific N-glycans that can distinguish COVID-19 infection from controls.
• To determine if N-glycan profiles can predict disease severity, including intensive care unit (ICU) admission and mortality.
• To explore the potential role of altered glycosylation in the host response to SARS-CoV-2.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a multi-cohort approach with discovery (310 patients), replication (97 patients), and testing (100 patients) cohorts.
• Analyzed plasma N-glycan profiles using mass spectrometry.
• Correlated specific glycan structures with clinical outcomes such as ICU admission and mortality.

Main Results:

• Significant decreases in bisected glycans were observed in COVID-19 patients compared to controls.
• Increases in fucosylated tri-antennary and sialylated tetra-antennary glycans were noted in patients.
• Elevated levels of Peak 61 (A4G4S4F) and decreased levels of Peak 29 (FA2G2S2) were associated with severe disease, ICU admission, and mortality.

Conclusions:

• Specific plasma N-glycan profiles can differentiate COVID-19 patients from healthy individuals.
• Certain glycan alterations serve as potential biomarkers for predicting COVID-19 severity and patient outcomes.
• Further research into the glycoproteins associated with these N-glycans may elucidate SARS-CoV-2 infection pathways.