This article is a Preprint
Preprints are preliminary research reports that have not been certified by peer review. They should not be relied on to guide clinical practice or health-related behavior and should not be reported in news media as established information.
Preprints posted online allow authors to receive rapid feedback and the entire scientific community can appraise the work for themselves and respond appropriately. Those comments are posted alongside the preprints for anyone to read them and serve as a post publication assessment.
B cells, BAFF and interferons in MIS-C
Preprint
in English
| medRxiv
| ID: ppmedrxiv-22275245
ABSTRACT
Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children associated with COVID-19 (MIS-C) is a late complication of pediatric COVID-19, which follows weeks after original SARS-CoV-2 infection, regardless of its severity. It is characterized by hyperinflammation, neutrophilia, lymphopenia and activation of T cells with elevated IFN-{gamma}. Observing production of autoantibodies and parallels with systemic autoimmune disorders, such as systemic lupus erythematodes (SLE), we explored B cell phenotype and serum levels of type I, II and III interferons, as well as the cytokines BAFF and APRIL in a cohort of MIS-C patients and healthy children after COVID-19. We documented a significant elevation of IFN-{gamma}, but not IFN- and IFN-{lambda} in MIS-C patients. BAFF was elevated in MIS-C patient sera and accompanied by decreased BAFFR expression on all B cell subtypes. The proportion of plasmablasts was significantly lower in patients compared to healthy post-COVID children. We noted the presence of ENA Ro60 autoantibodies in 4/35 tested MIS-C patients. Our work shows the involvement of humoral immunity in MIS-C and hints at parallels with the pathophysiology of SLE, with autoreactive B cells driven towards autoantibody production by elevated BAFF. Graphical abstract O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=175 SRC="FIGDIR/small/22275245v1_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1"> View larger version (36K) org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@166327dorg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@7cde7forg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1f3a3b2org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@803175_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP M_FIG C_FIG Summary sentenceElevated serum BAFF in children with MIS-C supports the state of polyclonal B cell activation and autoimmune phenomena characterizing this disease.
cc_no
Full text:
Available
Collection:
Preprints
Database:
medRxiv
Type of study:
Cohort_studies
/
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
Language:
English
Year:
2022
Document type:
Preprint