Persistent immune and clotting dysfunction detected in saliva and blood plasma after COVID-19

Authors

Hyesun Jang, Genomic Medicine and Infectious Diseases, J. Craig Venter Institute, La Jolla, CA, and Rockville, MD, USA.
Saibyasachi Choudhury, DGG-Genomics Division, Agilent, Technologies, Inc., La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
Yanbao Yu, Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA, 19716.
Benjamin L. Sievers, Genomic Medicine and Infectious Diseases, J. Craig Venter Institute, La Jolla, CA, and Rockville, MD, USA.
Terri Gelbart, Genomic Medicine and Infectious Diseases, J. Craig Venter Institute, La Jolla, CA, and Rockville, MD, USA.
Harinder Singh, Genomic Medicine and Infectious Diseases, J. Craig Venter Institute, La Jolla, CA, and Rockville, MD, USA.
Stephen A. Rawlings, MMP Adult Infectious Disease, Maine Medical Center, South Portland, ME, 04106, USA.
Amy Proal, PolyBio Research Foundation. Mercer Island, WA, USA.
Gene S. Tan, Genomic Medicine and Infectious Diseases, J. Craig Venter Institute, La Jolla, CA, and Rockville, MD, USA.
Yu Qian, Informatics, J. Craig Venter Institute, La Jolla, CA, and Rockville, MD, USA.
Davey Smith, Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
Marcelo Freire, Genomic Medicine and Infectious Diseases, J. Craig Venter Institute, La Jolla, CA, and Rockville, MD, USA.

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

7-1-2023

Journal Title

Heliyon

Abstract

A growing number of studies indicate that coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is associated with inflammatory sequelae, but molecular signatures governing the normal versus pathologic convalescence process have not been well-delineated. Here, we characterized global immune and proteome responses in matched plasma and saliva samples obtained from COVID-19 patients collected between 20 and 90 days after initial clinical symptoms resolved. Convalescent subjects showed robust total IgA and IgG responses and positive antibody correlations in saliva and plasma samples. Shotgun proteomics revealed persistent inflammatory patterns in convalescent samples including dysfunction of salivary innate immune cells, such as neutrophil markers (e.g., myeloperoxidase), and clotting factors in plasma (e.g., fibrinogen), with positive correlations to acute COVID-19 disease severity. Saliva samples were characterized by higher concentrations of IgA, and proteomics showed altered myeloid-derived pathways that correlated positively with SARS-CoV-2 IgA levels. Beyond plasma, our study positions saliva as a viable fluid to monitor normal and aberrant immune responses including vascular, inflammatory, and coagulation-related sequelae.

ISSN

2405-8440

First Page

e17958

Recommended Citation

Jang, Hyesun; Choudhury, Saibyasachi; Yu, Yanbao; Sievers, Benjamin L.; Gelbart, Terri; Singh, Harinder; Rawlings, Stephen A.; Proal, Amy; Tan, Gene S.; Qian, Yu; Smith, Davey; and Freire, Marcelo, "Persistent immune and clotting dysfunction detected in saliva and blood plasma after COVID-19" (2023). MaineHealth Maine Medical Center. 3327.
https://knowledgeconnection.mainehealth.org/mmc/3327