A causal link between autoantibodies and neurological symptoms in long COVID.
Keyla Santos Guedes de SáJulio SilvaRafael Bayarri-OlmosRyan BrindaRobert Alec Rath ConstablePatricia A Colom DiazDong-Il KwonGisele RodriguesLi WenxueChristopher BakerBornali BhattacharjeeJamie WoodLaura TabacofYansheng LiuDavid F PutrinoTamas L HorvathAkiko IwasakPublished in: medRxiv : the preprint server for health sciences (2024)
Acute SARS-CoV-2 infection triggers the generation of diverse and functional autoantibodies (AABs), even after mild cases. Persistently elevated autoantibodies have been found in some individuals with long COVID (LC). Using a >21,000 human protein array, we identified diverse AAB targets in LC patients that correlated with their symptoms. Elevated AABs to proteins in the nervous system were found in LC patients with neurocognitive and neurological symptoms. Purified Immunoglobulin G (IgG) samples from these individuals reacted with human pons tissue and were cross-reactive with mouse sciatic nerves, spinal cord, and meninges. Antibody reactivity to sciatic nerves and meninges correlated with patient-reported headache and disorientation. Passive transfer of IgG from patients to mice led to increased sensitivity and pain, mirroring patient-reported symptoms. Similarly, mice injected with IgG showed loss of balance and coordination, reflecting donor-reported dizziness. Our findings suggest that targeting AABs could benefit some LC patients.
Keyphrases
- patient reported
- end stage renal disease
- ejection fraction
- spinal cord
- newly diagnosed
- chronic kidney disease
- coronavirus disease
- prognostic factors
- endothelial cells
- sars cov
- mass spectrometry
- systemic lupus erythematosus
- chronic pain
- spinal cord injury
- simultaneous determination
- type diabetes
- drug delivery
- high resolution
- metabolic syndrome
- hepatitis b virus
- bipolar disorder
- physical activity
- blood brain barrier
- liquid chromatography
- small molecule
- single cell
- intensive care unit
- high fat diet induced
- amino acid
- protein protein
- solid phase extraction
- liver failure
- peripheral nerve
- cerebral ischemia