Evidence of the pathogenic HERV-W envelope expression in T lymphocytes in association with the respiratory outcome of COVID-19 patients.
Aged
Antiviral Agents
/ therapeutic use
COVID-19
/ etiology
Case-Control Studies
Cell Differentiation
Cytokines
/ metabolism
Endogenous Retroviruses
Female
Gene Products, env
/ genetics
Hospitalization
Humans
Interleukin-6
/ blood
Leukocytes, Mononuclear
/ drug effects
Male
Middle Aged
Pneumonia, Viral
/ diagnostic imaging
Pregnancy Proteins
/ genetics
Severity of Illness Index
T-Lymphocytes
/ metabolism
Treatment Outcome
COVID-19
Cytokine storm
HERV-W. human endogenous retroviruses
Inflammation
Respiratory outcome
T-cell exhaustion
Journal
EBioMedicine
ISSN: 2352-3964
Titre abrégé: EBioMedicine
Pays: Netherlands
ID NLM: 101647039
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
Apr 2021
Apr 2021
Historique:
received:
18
01
2021
revised:
26
03
2021
accepted:
30
03
2021
pubmed:
20
4
2021
medline:
18
5
2021
entrez:
19
4
2021
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
Despite an impressive effort in clinical research, no standard therapeutic approach for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients has been established, highlighting the need to identify early biomarkers for predicting disease progression and new therapeutic interventions for patient management. The present study aimed to evaluate the involvement of the human endogenous retrovirus -W envelope (HERV-W ENV) in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection considering recent findings that HERVs are activated in response to infectious agents and lead to various immunopathological effects. We analysed HERV-W ENV expression in blood cells of COVID-19 patients in correlation with clinical characteristics and have discussed its potential role in the outcome of the disease. We analysed HERV-W ENV expression in blood samples of COVID-19 patients and healthy donors by flow cytometry and quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR analysis, and evaluated its correlation with clinical signs, inflammatory markers, cytokine expression, and disease progression. HERV-W ENV was highly expressed in the leukocytes of COVID-19 patients but not in those of healthy donors. Its expression correlated with the markers of T-cell differentiation and exhaustion and blood cytokine levels. The percentage of HERV-W ENV-positive lymphocytes correlated with inflammatory markers and pneumonia severity in COVID-19 patients. Notably, HERV-W ENV expression reflects the respiratory outcome of patients during hospitalization. Given the known immuno- and neuro-pathogenicity of HERV-W ENV protein, it could promote certain pathogenic features of COVID-19 and therefore serve as a biomarker to predict clinical progression of disease and open to further studies for therapeutic intervention. Information available at the end of the manuscript.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
BACKGROUND
Despite an impressive effort in clinical research, no standard therapeutic approach for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients has been established, highlighting the need to identify early biomarkers for predicting disease progression and new therapeutic interventions for patient management. The present study aimed to evaluate the involvement of the human endogenous retrovirus -W envelope (HERV-W ENV) in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection considering recent findings that HERVs are activated in response to infectious agents and lead to various immunopathological effects. We analysed HERV-W ENV expression in blood cells of COVID-19 patients in correlation with clinical characteristics and have discussed its potential role in the outcome of the disease.
METHODS
METHODS
We analysed HERV-W ENV expression in blood samples of COVID-19 patients and healthy donors by flow cytometry and quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR analysis, and evaluated its correlation with clinical signs, inflammatory markers, cytokine expression, and disease progression.
FINDINGS
RESULTS
HERV-W ENV was highly expressed in the leukocytes of COVID-19 patients but not in those of healthy donors. Its expression correlated with the markers of T-cell differentiation and exhaustion and blood cytokine levels. The percentage of HERV-W ENV-positive lymphocytes correlated with inflammatory markers and pneumonia severity in COVID-19 patients. Notably, HERV-W ENV expression reflects the respiratory outcome of patients during hospitalization.
INTERPRETATION
CONCLUSIONS
Given the known immuno- and neuro-pathogenicity of HERV-W ENV protein, it could promote certain pathogenic features of COVID-19 and therefore serve as a biomarker to predict clinical progression of disease and open to further studies for therapeutic intervention.
FUNDING
BACKGROUND
Information available at the end of the manuscript.
Identifiants
pubmed: 33867312
pii: S2352-3964(21)00134-1
doi: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2021.103341
pmc: PMC8082064
pii:
doi:
Substances chimiques
Antiviral Agents
0
Cytokines
0
Gene Products, env
0
IL6 protein, human
0
Interleukin-6
0
Pregnancy Proteins
0
syncytin
0
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
103341Informations de copyright
Copyright © 2021 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts
Declaration of Competing Interests C.M. reports grant from Gilead, outside the submitted work; M.I. reports personal fees from Biogen srl, personal fees from Becton, Dickinson and Company, outside the submitted work; HP and BC receive compensation for their work by Geneuro-Innovation. The other authors have nothing to disclose.