Researchers ID Low Immune Cell Responsiveness and High Level of Proteins as Features of COVID-19 Severity

Article title: Chemokines, soluble PD-L1 and immune cell hyporesponsiveness are distinct features of SARS-CoV-2 critical illness

Authors: Eric D. Morrell, Pavan K. Bhatraju, Neha A. Sathe, Jonathan Lawson, Linzee Mabrey, Sarah E. Holton, Scott R. Presnell, Alice Wiedeman, Carolina Acosta-Vega, Mallorie A. Mitchem, Ted Liu, Xin-Ya Chai, Sharon Sahi, Carolyn Brager, Marika Orlov, Sana S. Sakr, Anthony Sader, Dawn M. Lum, Neall Koetje, Ashley Garay, Elizabeth Barnes, Gail Cromer, Mary K. Bray, Sudhakar Pipavath, Susan L. Fink, Laura Evans, S. Alice Long, T. Eoin West, Mark M. Wurfel, Carmen Mikacenic

From the authors: “Overall, our findings support an immunologic model whereby COVID-19 and associated severity is marked by high circulating levels of interferon-stimulated mediators (sPD-L1 and CXCL10), immune cell hyporesponsiveness and dysfunctional antiviral adaptive immune responses such as lymphocyte homing and tolerance.”

This study is highlighted as one of August’s “best of the best” as part of the American Physiological Society’s APSselect program.