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Single-cell multi-omics analysis of COVID-19 patients with pre-existing autoimmune diseases shows aberrant immune responses to infection.

Anis BarmadaLouis-François HandfieldGerard Godoy-TenaCarlos de la Calle-FabregatLaura CiudadAnna ArutyunyanEduardo Andrés LeónRegina HooTarryn PorterAgnes OszlancziLaura RichardsonFernando J Calero-NietoNicola K WilsonDomenica MarcheseCarmen Sancho-SerraJorge CarrilloSilvia Presas-RodríguezCristina Ramo-TelloAdolfo Ruiz-SanmartinRicard FerrerJuan Carlos Ruiz-RodriguezMónica Martínez-GalloMónica Munera-CamposJose Manuel CarrascosaBerthold GöttgensHolger HeynElena PrigmoreIvette Casafont-SoléXavier SolanichIldefonso Sánchez-CerrilloIsidoro González-ÁlvaroMaria Gabriella RaimondoAndreas RammingJavier MartinEva Martínez-CáceresEsteban BallestarRoser Vento-TormoJavier Rodríguez-Ubreva
Published in: European journal of immunology (2023)
In COVID-19, hyperinflammatory and dysregulated immune responses contribute to severity. Patients with pre-existing autoimmune conditions can therefore be at increased risk of severe COVID-19 and/or associated sequelae, yet SARS-CoV-2 infection in this group has been little studied. Here, we performed single-cell analysis of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with three major autoimmune diseases (rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, or multiple sclerosis) during SARS-CoV-2 infection. We observed compositional differences between the autoimmune disease groups coupled with altered patterns of gene expression, transcription factor activity, and cell-cell communication that substantially shape the immune response under SARS-CoV-2 infection. While enrichment of HLA-DRlow CD14+ monocytes was observed in all three autoimmune disease groups, type-I interferon signaling as well as inflammatory T cell and monocyte responses varied widely between the three groups of patients. Our results reveal disturbed immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 in patients with pre-existing autoimmunity, highlighting important considerations for disease treatment and follow-up. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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