| Title: |
SARS-CoV-2 infection is associated with anti-desmoglein 2 autoantibody detection |
| Authors: |
Ward, Kerensa E; Steadman, Lora; Karim, Abid R; Reynolds, Gary M; Pugh, Matthew; Chua, Winnie; Faustini, Sian E; Veenith, Tonny; Thwaites, Ryan S; Openshaw, Peter J M; Drayson, Mark T; Shields, Adrian M; Cunningham, Adam F; Wraith, David C; Richter, Alex G |
| Contributors: |
National Institute for Health Research |
| Source: |
Clinical and Experimental Immunology ; volume 213, issue 2, page 243-251 ; ISSN 0009-9104 1365-2249 |
| Publisher Information: |
Oxford University Press (OUP) |
| Publication Year: |
2023 |
| Description: |
Post-acute cardiac sequelae, following SARS-CoV-2 infection, are well recognized as complications of COVID-19. We have previously shown the persistence of autoantibodies against antigens in skin, muscle, and heart in individuals following severe COVID-19; the most common staining on skin tissue displayed an inter-cellular cement pattern consistent with antibodies against desmosomal proteins. Desmosomes play a critical role in maintaining the structural integrity of tissues. For this reason, we analyzed desmosomal protein levels and the presence of anti-desmoglein (DSG) 1, 2, and 3 antibodies in acute and convalescent sera from patients with COVID-19 of differing clinical severity. We find increased levels of DSG2 protein in sera from acute COVID-19 patients. Furthermore, we find that DSG2 autoantibody levels are increased significantly in convalescent sera following severe COVID-19 but not in hospitalized patients recovering from influenza infection or healthy controls. Levels of autoantibody in sera from patients with severe COVID-19 were comparable to levels in patients with non-COVID-19-associated cardiac disease, potentially identifying DSG2 autoantibodies as a novel biomarker for cardiac damage. To determine if there was any association between severe COVID-19 and DSG2, we stained post-mortem cardiac tissue from patients who died from COVID-19 infection. This confirmed DSG2 protein within the intercalated discs and disruption of the intercalated disc between cardiomyocytes in patients who died from COVID-19. Our results reveal the potential for DSG2 protein and autoimmunity to DSG2 to contribute to unexpected pathologies associated with COVID-19 infection. |
| Document Type: |
article in journal/newspaper |
| Language: |
English |
| DOI: |
10.1093/cei/uxad046 |
| DOI: |
10.1093/cei/uxad046/50394417/uxad046.pdf |
| Availability: |
https://doi.org/10.1093/cei/uxad046; https://academic.oup.com/cei/advance-article-pdf/doi/10.1093/cei/uxad046/50394417/uxad046.pdf; https://academic.oup.com/cei/article-pdf/213/2/243/53452078/uxad046.pdf |
| Rights: |
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ |
| Accession Number: |
edsbas.CC9F9BF3 |
| Database: |
BASE |