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Proteomic analysis of circulating immune cells identifies cellular phenotypes associated with COVID-19 severity.

Accepted version
Peer-reviewed

Type

Article

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Authors

Potts, Martin 
Fletcher-Etherington, Alice 
Nightingale, Katie 
Mescia, Federica 
Bergamaschi, Laura 

Abstract

Certain serum proteins, including C-reactive protein (CRP) and D-dimer, have prognostic value in patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Nonetheless, these factors are non-specific, providing limited mechanistic insight into the peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) populations that drive the pathogenesis of severe COVID-19. To identify cellular phenotypes associated with disease, we performed a comprehensive, unbiased analysis of total and plasma-membrane PBMC proteomes from 40 unvaccinated individuals with SARS-CoV-2, spanning the whole disease spectrum. Combined with RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) and flow cytometry from the same donors, we define a comprehensive multi-omic profile for each severity level, revealing that immune-cell dysregulation progresses with increasing disease. The cell-surface proteins CEACAMs1, 6, and 8, CD177, CD63, and CD89 are strongly associated with severe COVID-19, corresponding to the emergence of atypical CD3+CD4+CEACAM1/6/8+CD177+CD63+CD89+ and CD16+CEACAM1/6/8+ mononuclear cells. Utilization of these markers may facilitate real-time patient assessment by flow cytometry and identify immune populations that could be targeted to ameliorate immunopathology.

Description

Keywords

CP: Immunology, Humans, COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, Leukocytes, Mononuclear, Proteomics, Phenotype

Journal Title

Cell Rep

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

2211-1247
2211-1247

Volume Title

Publisher

Elsevier BV
Sponsorship
MRC (MR/W025647/1)
Medical Research Council (MR/L019027/1)
Cancer Research UK (21762)
Wellcome Trust (200871/Z/16/Z)
Wellcome Trust (204845/Z/16/Z)
Medical Research Council (MR/S036113/1)
MRC (MR/T032413/1)
Medical Research Council (MR/S00081X/1)
MRC (MR/N013433/1)
Multiple MRC and Wellcome grants chief sources of funding
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