ABSTRACT
COVID-19 pandemic has posed a severe healthcare challenge calling for an integrated approach in determining the clues for early non-invasive diagnostics of the potentially severe cases and efficient patient stratification. Here we analyze the clinical, laboratory and CT scan characteristics associated with high risk of COVID-19-related death outcome in the cohort of severely-ill patients in Russia. The data obtained reveal that elevated dead lymphocyte counts, decreased early apoptotic lymphocytes, decreased CD14+/HLA-Dr+ monocytes, increased expression of JNK in PBMCs, elevated IL-17 and decreased PAI-1 serum levels are associated with a high risk of COVID-19-related mortality thus suggesting them to be new prognostic factors. This set of determinants could be used as early predictors of potentially severe course of COVID-19 for trials of prevention or timely treatment. FundingThe reported study was funded by RFBR according to the research project [numero] 20-24-60029.
ABSTRACT
Background and ObjectivesCOVID-19 convalescent plasma is an experimental treatment against SARS-CoV-2. The aim of this study is to assess the impact of different pathogen reduction methods on the levels and virus neutralizing activity of the specific antibodies against SARS-CoV2 in convalescent plasma. Materials and MethodsA total of 140 plasma doses collected by plasmapheresis from COVID-19 convalescent donors were subjected to pathogen reduction by three methods: methylene blue (M)/visible light, riboflavin (R)/UVB, and amotosalen (A)/UVA. To conduct a paired comparison, individual plasma doses were divided into 2 samples that were subjected to one of these methods. The titres of SARS-CoV2 neutralizing antibodies (NtAbs) and levels of specific immunoglobulins to RBD, S- and N- proteins of SARS-CoV-2 were measured before and after pathogen reduction. ResultsThe methods reduced NtAbs titres differently: among units with the initial titre 80 or above, 81% of units remained unchanged and 19% decreased by one step after methylene blue; 60% were unchanged and 40% decreased by one step after amotosalen; after riboflavin 43% were unchanged and 50% (7% respectively) had a one- step (two-step respectively) decrease. Paired two-sample comparisons (M vs A, M vs R and A vs R) revealed that the largest statistically significant decrease in quantity and activity of the specific antibodies resulted from the riboflavin treatment. ConclusionPathogen reduction with methylene blue or with amotosalen provides the greater likelihood of preserving the immunological properties of the COVID-19 convalescent plasma compared to riboflavin.
