A team of researchers from the CHUM Research Center has identified new biomarkers associated with the severity of COVID-19 in infected patients.
Recent scientific literature has shown that the immune response plays an important role in the severity of COVID-19 infection. It is therefore essential to understand the immune responses generated during the course of the disease in order to determine which patients are most at risk for serious complications and death from the disease.
In a new study published in the Journal of Clinical Research, scientists and clinicians led by Dr.?Catherine Larochelle, a researcher at the CHUM Research Center, have shown that a set of immune changes is specifically linked to infection with the SARS-CoV virus -2, as well as the severity of COVID- Disease 19, its 30-day evolution, and its 60-day death. These biomarkers could represent therapeutic targets.
We have discussed this with Dr. Larochelle, Professor at Université de Montréal (Department of Neuroscience) and lead author of the study.
Q. Your test method is something special. Based on the immunization profile you performed, how could you identify the patients most at risk for a poor prognosis?
Above all, is this the result of the great effort of several dozen people involved in research and clinical work at CHUM, who participated in this study and in Biobank Quebec? COVID-19 (BQC19).
Based on a blood test, we were able to compare the immune cell numbers present in 50 patients with SARS-CoV-2 and compare them with those of 22 patients (same sex and age) hospitalized for other serious illnesses, and those at 49 healthy controls.
This immune profile allowed us to identify subsets of “dysregulated” immune cells that were specific to patients affected by SARS-CoV-2. Notably, some of these immune changes were associated with ventilation and mortality needs in these same patients.
These SARS-CoV-2-specific markers may help us identify the patients most at risk, and suggest new pathways for developing therapeutic targets.
In addition, we confirm what has been observed in other studies: disturbances in the immune system such as neutrophilia or lymphopenia, for example, are related to the severity of the disease in hospitalized patients. , but are not specific to SARS-CoV-2.
From a clinical perspective, this may explain why common anti-inflammatory medications such as steroids appear to work in COVID-19 and other chronic diseases.
Q. How do you see your results being used directly in a clinical setting? Is it technically possible?
These assessments could be easily transferred to clinical settings, as we worked with very little blood – less than one millimeter – to improve these immune profiles.
In our experimental approach, we used methods commonly used in hospital laboratories: the use of surface antibodies to “stain” the cells expressing specific signals, flow cytometry (cell identification and counting). ), help. In a clinical setting, this may help monitor patient progress over time and ultimately identify those at high risk that require closer examination.
Q. What therapeutic horizons do you consider for your research work?
I hope that our study will lead to the development of biomarkers that will help us stratify patients based on their risk of developing a severe form of the disease. This should also allow us to identify new therapeutic targets, and select those patients who may benefit from the available treatments.
Source:
University of Montreal Hospital Research Center (CRCHUM)
Magazine Reference:
Rébillard, R., et al. (2021) Identification of SARS-CoV-2-specific immune changes in critically ill patients. Journal of Clinical Research. doi.org/10.1172/JCI145853.