Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 21, 2026

A Pediatric Concussion Model in Mice: Closed Head Injury with Long-Term Disorders (CHILD)
07:01

A Pediatric Concussion Model in Mice: Closed Head Injury with Long-Term Disorders (CHILD)

Published on: February 7, 2025

924

Pediatric long COVID is characterized by myeloid CCR6 suppression and immune dysregulation

Jon Izquierdo-Pujol1,2,3, Núria Pedreño-Lopez1, Tetyana Pidkova1

  • 1IrsiCaixa, Badalona, Barcelona, Spain.

JCI Insight
|February 19, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Long COVID in children involves immune system dysregulation, including altered innate immunity and overactive T-, B-, and NK-cells. This immune imbalance impacts antibody response and neutralizing capacity against SARS-CoV-2.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Pediatrics
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Long COVID pathogenesis in pediatric populations remains largely unknown.
  • Understanding the immune system's role is crucial for diagnosing and treating pediatric long COVID.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the immune pathophysiology of long COVID in children and young people (CYP).
  • To identify immune biomarkers differentiating pediatric long COVID from controls.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and SARS-CoV-2 antibody responses in CYP with and without long COVID.
  • Utilized random forest analysis to identify predictive biomarkers.

Main Results:

  • Pediatric long COVID is linked to dysregulated innate immunity and hyperactive T-, B-, and NK-cell responses.
  • CYP with long COVID exhibited impaired humoral immunity, with dysregulated B-cells and lower anti-RBD IgG/IgA levels, correlating with reduced viral neutralization.
  • CCR6 expression on myeloid cells was identified as a key biomarker for long COVID in CYP with 79% accuracy.

Conclusions:

  • Pediatric long COVID is characterized by a distinct immune dysregulation.
  • Immune profiling and biomarker identification are essential for understanding and managing long COVID in children.

Keywords:
Adaptive immunityCOVID-19Clinical ResearchImmunologyInfectious diseaseInnate immunity

More Related Videos

Separation of Immune Cell Subpopulations in Peripheral Blood Samples from Children with Infectious Mononucleosis08:44

Separation of Immune Cell Subpopulations in Peripheral Blood Samples from Children with Infectious Mononucleosis

Published on: September 7, 2022

2.9K
Expression of Exogenous Cytokine in Patient-derived Xenografts via Injection with a Cytokine-transduced Stromal Cell Line12:58

Expression of Exogenous Cytokine in Patient-derived Xenografts via Injection with a Cytokine-transduced Stromal Cell Line

Published on: May 10, 2017

9.9K

Related Concept Videos

Immunodeficiency Diseases01:25

Immunodeficiency Diseases

Immunodeficiency disorders are conditions in which the immune system's ability to fight infectious disease and cancer is compromised or entirely absent. The immune system comprises a complex network of cells, tissues, and organs that work together to protect the body from potentially harmful invaders. When this system is deficient or not functioning properly, it leaves the body susceptible to infections, diseases, or other complications.
There are three main causes of immunodeficiency...
2.6K
Differentiation of Common Myeloid Progenitor Cells01:15

Differentiation of Common Myeloid Progenitor Cells

Common myeloid progenitors (CMPs) are oligopotent cells that can differentiate into granulocytes and macrophages. Granulocytes and macrophages are essential for protecting the body against bacterial, viral, or fungal infections. They migrate from the bone marrow into the circulating blood to reach specific tissue sites where they differentiate and help in immune surveillance. However, they survive only for a few days and must be continuously made available to the organism to maintain a robust...
4.1K
Myocarditis II: Clinical Features and Diagnostic Tests01:27

Myocarditis II: Clinical Features and Diagnostic Tests

Myocarditis is an inflammation of the heart muscle. The symptoms vary widely, encompassing asymptomatic presentations to severe, acute manifestations.Clinical PresentationAsymptomatic cases: In some instances, myocarditis may be asymptomatic, with the infection resolving without intervention. These cases often go undetected unless discovered incidentally through diagnostic imaging or tests conducted for other reasons.General Early Symptoms: Early symptoms of myocarditis are non-specific and can...
355