Department of Immunology, LHUB-ULB (Laboratoire Hospitalier Universitaire de Bruxelles), Brussels, Belgium.
Translational Research Unit, Hôpital Universitaire Des Enfants Reine Fabiola, Bruxelles, Belgique.
Viral Immunol. 2024 Sep;37(7):346-354. doi: 10.1089/vim.2024.0025. Epub 2024 Aug 22.
The enduring impact of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and its disease manifestation, COVID-19, on public health remains significant. Postacute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC) affect a considerable number of patients, impairing their quality of life. While the role of the cytokine storm in acute COVID-19 is well established, its contribution to the pathophysiology of PASC is not fully understood. This study aimed to analyze the cytokine profile of patients with PASC following stimulation of Toll-like receptor (TLR) pathways, comparing them with a healthy control group. From October 2020 till March 2021, Brugmann University Hospital's clinical research unit included patients with PASC in the study. Whole blood samples were collected from 50 patients and 25 healthy volunteers. After stimulation under five different conditions, cytokine levels were measured using a multiplex method. Significantly decreased cytokine levels were observed in patients with PASC compared with healthy volunteers, particularly after TLR4 (interleukin [IL]-1, IL-1, IL-2, IL-10, interferon (IFN), IFN, IFN, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)) and TLR7/8 (IL-1, IL-1, IFN, IFN, IFN, and TNF) pathway stimulation. Principal component analysis identified two distinct clusters, suggesting a likely dysregulation of immunity involving TLR4 and TLR7/8 pathways in patients with PASC. Our study suggests that TLR4 and TLR7/8 pathways play a role in the pathophysiology of PASC. Continuous basal activation of immunity could explain the high basal concentrations of cytokines described in these patients and the decreased amplitude of response of these signaling pathways following specific stimulation.
严重急性呼吸综合征冠状病毒 2(SARS-CoV-2)及其疾病表现 COVID-19 对公共卫生的持久影响仍然很大。SARS-CoV-2 感染的后急性后遗症(PASC)影响了相当数量的患者,降低了他们的生活质量。虽然细胞因子风暴在急性 COVID-19 中的作用已得到充分证实,但它对 PASC 病理生理学的贡献尚不完全清楚。本研究旨在分析 TLR 途径刺激后 PASC 患者的细胞因子谱,并将其与健康对照组进行比较。2020 年 10 月至 2021 年 3 月,布鲁格曼大学医院的临床研究单位将 PASC 患者纳入研究。从 50 名患者和 25 名健康志愿者中采集全血样本。在五种不同条件下刺激后,使用多重方法测量细胞因子水平。与健康志愿者相比,PASC 患者的细胞因子水平明显降低,尤其是在 TLR4(白细胞介素[IL]-1、IL-1、IL-2、IL-10、干扰素[IFN]、IFN、IFN 和肿瘤坏死因子[TNF])和 TLR7/8(IL-1、IL-1、IFN、IFN、IFN 和 TNF)途径刺激后。主成分分析确定了两个不同的聚类,这表明 TLR4 和 TLR7/8 途径在 PASC 患者的免疫失调中可能发挥作用。我们的研究表明,TLR4 和 TLR7/8 途径在 PASC 的病理生理学中起作用。免疫的持续基础激活可以解释这些患者中描述的细胞因子的高基础浓度以及这些信号通路在特定刺激后反应幅度的降低。
Viral Immunol. 2024-9
Clin Microbiol Rev. 2021-5-12