T cell cytotoxicity in severe COVID-19
December 2021
Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
Severe COVID-19 is linked to both dysfunctional immune response and unrestrained immunopathology, and it remains unclear whether T cells contribute to disease pathology. Here, the researchers combined single-cell transcriptomics and single-cell proteomics with mechanistic studies to assess pathogenic T cell functions and inducing signals. They identified highly activated CD16+ T cells with increased cytotoxic functions in severe COVID-19. These cells from COVID-19 patients promoted microvascular endothelial cell injury and persisted beyond acute disease maintaining their cytotoxic phenotype. Proportions of activated CD16+ T cells and plasma levels of complement proteins upstream of C3a were associated with the fatal outcome of COVID-19, supporting a pathological role of exacerbated cytotoxicity and complement activation in COVID-19.
Complement activation induces excessive T cell cytotoxicity in severe COVID-19
Birgit Sawitzki
Added on: 03-16-2022
[1] https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(21)01562-2?_returnURL=https%3A%2F%2Flinkinghub.elsevier.com%2Fretrieve%2Fpii%2FS0092867421015622%3Fshowall%3Dtrue[2] https://www.bionity.com/en/news/1174197/the-fatal-role-of-t-cells-in-covid-19.html?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=bionityde&WT.mc_id=ca0264
