Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Anti-interferon Auto-antibodies in Infectious Diseases

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Infectious Diseases
• Autoimmunity

Background:

• Auto-antibodies against interferons (IFNs) can compromise innate immunity.
• The role of anti-IFN auto-antibodies in acute infections is not well understood.
• Previous research has primarily focused on specific conditions like severe COVID-19.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and meta-analyze the prevalence and function of anti-interferon auto-antibodies in acute infectious diseases.
• To determine the pooled seroprevalence and neutralisation status of these auto-antibodies.
• To identify research gaps, particularly in non-SARS-CoV-2 infections.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature search of Medline, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane databases.
• Random effects model meta-analysis to pool seroprevalence and neutralisation data.
• Analysis of 37 studies involving 12,629 individuals with SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Main Results:

• Pooled seroprevalence of anti-IFNɑ and/or anti-IFN⍵ auto-antibodies in SARS-CoV-2 patients was 14% (95% CI 9-18%).
• Pooled prevalence of neutralising auto-antibodies was 12% (95% CI 8-17%).
• Seroprevalence in healthy controls was <1%, with high heterogeneity observed across studies for SARS-CoV-2.

Conclusions:

• Anti-interferon auto-antibodies may contribute to severe outcomes in various infections.
• Data on these auto-antibodies in non-SARS-CoV-2 infections, especially bacterial infections, are insufficient.
• Standardization of methodology and reporting is crucial for understanding the immunopathology and clinical impact of anti-IFN auto-antibodies.