COVID-19 convalescent plasma as long-term therapy in immunodeficient patients?

OBJECTIVES: The patients with hematological malignancies are a vulnerable group to COVID-19, due to the immunodeficiency resulting from the underlying disease and oncological treatment that significantly impair cellular and humoral immunity. Here we report on a beneficial impact of a passive immunotherapy with convalescent plasma to treat a prolonged, active COVID-19 infection in a patient with a history of nasopharyngeal diffuse large B-cell lymphoma treated with the therapy inducing substantial impairment of particularly humoral arm of immune system. The specific aim was to quantify SARS-CoV2 neutralizing antibodies in a patient plasma during the course of therapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Besides the standard of care treatment and monitoring, neutralizing antibody titers in patient's serum samples, calibrated according to the First WHO International Standard for anti-SARS-CoV-2 immunoglobulin (human), were quantified in a time-dependent manner. During the immunotherapy period peripheral blood flow cytometry immunophenotyping was conducted to characterize lymphocyte subpopulations. RESULTS: The waves of clinical improvements and worsening coincided with transfused neutralizing antibodies rises and drops in the patient's systemic circulation, proving their contribution in controlling the disease progress. Besides the patient's lack of own humoral immune system, immunophenotyping analysis revealed also the reduced level of helper T-lymphocytes and immune exhaustion of monocytes. CONCLUSION: Therapeutic approach based on convalescent plasma transfusion transformed a prolonged, active COVID-19 infection into a manageable chronic disease.

The effect of 17ß-estradiol on the expression of dipeptidyl peptidase III and heme oxygenase 1 in liver of CBA/H mice.

BACKGROUND: 17ß-estradiol (E2) has well-established cardioprotective, antioxidant and neuroprotective role, and exerts a vast range of biological effects in both sexes. Dipeptidyl peptidase III (DPP III) is protease involved as activator in Keap1-Nrf2 signalling pathway, which is important in cellular defense to oxidative and electrophilic stress. It is generally accepted that oxidative stress is crucial in promoting liver diseases. OBJECTIVE: To examine the effect of E2 on the expression of DPP III and haeme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) in liver of adult CBA/H mice of both sexes. METHODS: Gene and protein expressions of studied enzymes were determined by quantitative real-time PCR and Western blot analysis. Immunohistochemistry was performed to analyse the localization of both proteins in different liver cell types. RESULTS: Ovariectomy diminished expression of DPP III and HO-1 proteins. E2 administration abolished this effect, and even increased these proteins above the control. A significant enhancement in DPP III protein was found in E2-treated males, as well. A decrease in the expression of HO-1, but not of the DPP III gene, was detected in the liver of ovariectomized females. HO-1 protein was found localized in the pericentral areas of hepatic lobules (Kupffer cells and hepatocytes), whilst DPP III showed a uniform distribution within hepatic tissue. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrate for the first time that E2 influences the protein level of DPP III in vivo, and confirm earlier finding on HO-1 gene upregulation by 17ß-estradiol. These results additionally confer new insights into complexity of protective action of E2.