In a study published today, entitled Mapping Systemic Inflammation and Antibody Responses in Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C), researchers with the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai present the first comprehensive report of a systemic immune profiling of the Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C). Their deep dive into the immune profiles of nine cases provides a comparison between MIS-C, healthy children and individuals with COVID-19. The study also identifies autoantibodies targeting organ systems central to the pathology of MIS-C.
“It is our hope that recurrence of MIS-C will be rare, as is the case with Kawasaki disease. However, our documentation of the presence of autoantibodies, which attack the host’s tissues or organs, raises a red flag. We postulate that these autoantibodies trigger immune complex formation and may unleash an immune cell-driven attack against host tissues. This postulation – which we hope to investigate further – concerns us as it may pose a risk for children when a vaccine becomes available,” says corresponding author, Dusan Bogunovic, PhD, Associate Professor, Microbiology and Pediatrics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.
“Our analysis lays the foundation for future investigations into MIS-C. In our lab, our next focus will be learning how to recognize this syndrome and identify ways to prevent it. This work will in turn pave the way for a much needed prevention algorithm,” says Roosheel Patel, a PhD candidate who jointly led this study with Conor Gruber, an MD/PhD candidate, both of whom are studying at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.
