Epidemiological and clinical reports indicate that SARS-CoV-2 virulence hinges upon the triggering of an aberrant host immune response, more so than on direct virus-induced cellular damage. To elucidate the immunopathology underlying COVID-19 severity, we perform cytokine and multiplex immune profiling in COVID-19 patients. We show that hypercytokinemia in COVID-19 differs from the interferon-gamma-driven cytokine storm in macrophage activation syndrome, and is more pronounced in critical versus mild-moderate COVID-19. Systems modelling of cytokine levels paired with deep-immune profiling shows that classical monocytes drive this hyper-inflammatory phenotype and that a reduction in T-lymphocytes correlates with disease severity, with CD8+ cells being disproportionately affected. Antigen presenting machinery expression is also reduced in critical disease. Furthermore, we report that neutrophils contribute to disease severity and local tissue damage by amplification of hypercytokinemia and the formation of neutrophil extracellular traps. Together our findings suggest a myeloid-driven immunopathology, in which hyperactivated neutrophils and an ineffective adaptive immune system act as mediators of COVID-19 disease severity.

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Antibodies that develop in patients with immune thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (iTTP) commonly target the spacer epitope R568/F592/R660/Y661/Y665 (RFRYY). In this study we present a detailed contribution of each residue in this epitope for autoantibody binding. Different panels of mutations were introduced here to create a large collection of full-length ADAMTS13 variants comprising conservative (Y←→F), semi-conservative (Y/F→L), non-conservative (Y/F→N) or alanine (Y/F/R→A) substitutions. Previously reported Gain-of-Function (GoF, KYKFF) and truncated ‘MDTCS’ variants were also included. Sera of 18 patients were screened against all variants. Conservative mutations of the aromatic residues did not reduce the binding of autoantibodies. Moderate resistance was achieved by replacing R568 and R660 by lysines or alanines. Semi-conservative mutations of aromatic residues show a moderate effectiveness in autoantibody resistance. Non-conservative asparagine or alanine mutations of aromatic residues are the most effective. In the mixtures of autoantibodies from the majority (89%) of patients screened, autoantibodies targeting the spacer RFRYY epitope have preponderance compared to other epitopes. Reductions in ADAMTS13 proteolytic activity were observed for all full-length mutant variants, in varying degrees. The greatest activity reductions were observed in the most autoantibody-resistant variants (15-35% residual activity in FRETS-VWF73). Among these, a triple-alanine mutant RARAA showed activity in a VWF multimer assay. This study shows that non-conservative and alanine modifications of residues within the exosite-3 spacer RFRYY epitope in full-length ADAMTS13 resist the binding of autoantibodies from iTTP patients, while retaining residual proteolytic activity. Our study provides a framework for the design of autoantibody-resistant ADAMTS13 variants for further therapeutic development.

Objective: To analyze if there is an association between the presence of polymorphisms in the LPL gene (rs320, rs285 and rs328) with development of acute ischemic stroke in Colombian population. Methods: In a case control design, 133 acute ischemic stroke patients (clinical diagnosis and x-ray CT) and 269 subjects without stroke as controls were studied. PCR -RFLP technique was used to detect rs320, rs285 and rs328 polymorphisms in the LPL gene. Results: In the present research was not found any association between any of the LPL gene polymorphism and acute ischemic stroke in the population studied; the allele and genotypic frequencies of the studied polymorphisms were similar in cases and controls and followed the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The study was approved by the IRB and each subject signed the informed consent. Conclusion: LPL gene polymorphisms are not genetic markers for the development of stroke in the Colombian sample used.

The ADAMTS13 mutations result in a severe ADAMTS13 deficiency explaining the patient's phenotype.

Background Immune‐mediated thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (iTTP) is caused by anti‐ADAMTS13 autoantibodies inducing a severe deficiency of ADAMTS13. Epitope mapping studies on samples obtained during acute iTTP episodes have shown that the iTTP immune response is polyclonal, with almost all patients having autoantibodies targeting the spacer domain of ADAMTS13. Objectives To identify the immunogenic hotspots in the spacer domain of ADAMTS13. Patients/methods A library of 11 full‐length ADAMTS13 spacer hybrids was created in which amino acid regions of the spacer domain of ADAMTS13 were exchanged by the corresponding region of the spacer domain of ADAMTS1. Next, the full‐length ADAMTS13 spacer hybrids were used in enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay to epitope map anti‐spacer autoantibodies in 138 samples from acute and remission iTTP patients. Results Sixteen different anti‐spacer autoantibody profiles were identified with a similar distribution in acute and remission patients. There was no association between the anti‐spacer autoantibody profiles and disease severity. Almost all iTTP samples contained anti‐spacer autoantibodies against the following three regions: amino acid residues 588‐592, 602‐610, and 657‐666 (hybrids E, G, and M). Between 31% and 57% of the samples had anti‐spacer autoantibodies against amino acid regions 572‐579, 629‐638, 667‐676 (hybrids C, J, and N). In contrast, none of the samples had anti‐spacer autoantibodies against amino acid regions 556‐563, 564‐571, 649‐656, and 677‐685 (hybrids A, B, L, and O). Conclusion We identified three hotspot regions (amino acid regions 588‐592, 602‐610, and 657‐666) in the spacer domain of ADAMTS13 that are targeted by anti‐spacer autoantibodies found in a large cohort of iTTP patients.

Following an acute thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) episode, patients are at risk for relapse, and a careful long-term follow-up is needed. Adherence to the follow-up by patients implies a good understanding of the disease. However, TTP literacy in patients is currently unknown. To explore the TTP literacy in patients and identify factors associated with poor disease understanding, a questionnaire was developed focusing on patient's characteristics, knowledge about TTP and patients’ actions in an emergency. The questionnaire was presented to 120 TTP patients in remission from the French National Registry for Thrombotic Microangiopathies. TTP literacy was low in 24%, intermediate in 43% and high in 33% of the patients. Low TTP literacy was associated with older age and low education level. Among the knowledge gaps identified, few patients knew that plasma exchange in acute phase is mandatory and has to be done daily (39%), 47% of participants did not consider themselves at risk for relapse, and 30% of women did not know that pregnancy exposes them to a greater risk of relapse. Importantly, few patients responded about life-saving actions in an emergency. Hence, the design of educational material should pay special attention to the age and education level of the target population focusing on the events leading to TTP, the importance of the emergency treatment, controllable predisposing factors for TTP development and patient attitude in an emergency.