Alterations in Circulating Monocytes Predict COVID-19 Severity and Include Chromatin Modifications Still Detectable Six Months after Recovery.
Alberto Utrero-RicoCecilia González-CuadradoMarta Chivite-LacabaOscar Cabrera-MaranteRocío Laguna-GoyaPatricia Almendro-VazquezCarmen Díaz-PedrocheMaría Ruiz-RuigómezAntonio LaluezaMaría Dolores FolgueiraEnrique VázquezAna QuintasMarcos J Berges-BuxedaMoisés Martín-RodriguezAna DopazoAntonio SerranoJose María AguadoEstela Paz-ArtalPublished in: Biomedicines (2021)
An early analysis of circulating monocytes may be critical for predicting COVID-19 course and its sequelae. In 131 untreated, acute COVID-19 patients at emergency room arrival, monocytes showed decreased surface molecule expression, including low HLA-DR, in association with an inflammatory cytokine status and limited anti-SARS-CoV-2-specific T cell response. Most of these alterations had normalized in post-COVID-19 patients 6 months after discharge. Acute COVID-19 monocytes transcriptome showed upregulation of anti-inflammatory tissue repair genes such as BCL6, AREG and IL-10 and increased accessibility of chromatin. Some of these transcriptomic and epigenetic features still remained in post-COVID-19 monocytes. Importantly, a poorer expression of surface molecules and low IRF1 gene transcription in circulating monocytes at admission defined a COVID-19 patient group with impaired SARS-CoV-2-specific T cell response and increased risk of requiring intensive care or dying. An early analysis of monocytes may be useful for COVID-19 patient stratification and for designing innate immunity-focused therapies.
Keyphrases
- sars cov
- coronavirus disease
- respiratory syndrome coronavirus
- dendritic cells
- peripheral blood
- genome wide
- gene expression
- poor prognosis
- emergency department
- dna methylation
- anti inflammatory
- dna damage
- palliative care
- immune response
- cell proliferation
- oxidative stress
- intensive care unit
- hepatitis b virus
- binding protein
- extracorporeal membrane oxygenation
- editorial comment