BibTex format
@article{Ward:2023:cei/uxad046,
author = {Ward, KE and Steadman, L and Karim, AR and Reynolds, GM and Pugh, M and Chua, W and Faustini, SE and Veenith, T and Thwaites, RS and Openshaw, PJM and Drayson, MT and Shields, AM and Cunningham, AF and Wraith, DC and Richter, AG},
doi = {cei/uxad046},
journal = {Clinical and Experimental Immunology},
pages = {243--251},
title = {SARS-CoV-2 infection is associated with anti-desmoglein 2 autoantibody detection},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/cei/uxad046},
volume = {213},
year = {2023}
}
RIS format (EndNote, RefMan)
TY - JOUR
AB - Post-acute cardiac sequelae, following SARS-CoV-2 infection, are well recognized as complications of COVID-19. We have previously shown the persistence of autoantibodies against antigens in skin, muscle, and heart in individuals following severe COVID-19; the most common staining on skin tissue displayed an inter-cellular cement pattern consistent with antibodies against desmosomal proteins. Desmosomes play a critical role in maintaining the structural integrity of tissues. For this reason, we analyzed desmosomal protein levels and the presence of anti-desmoglein (DSG) 1, 2, and 3 antibodies in acute and convalescent sera from patients with COVID-19 of differing clinical severity. We find increased levels of DSG2 protein in sera from acute COVID-19 patients. Furthermore, we find that DSG2 autoantibody levels are increased significantly in convalescent sera following severe COVID-19 but not in hospitalized patients recovering from influenza infection or healthy controls. Levels of autoantibody in sera from patients with severe COVID-19 were comparable to levels in patients with non-COVID-19-associated cardiac disease, potentially identifying DSG2 autoantibodies as a novel biomarker for cardiac damage. To determine if there was any association between severe COVID-19 and DSG2, we stained post-mortem cardiac tissue from patients who died from COVID-19 infection. This confirmed DSG2 protein within the intercalated discs and disruption of the intercalated disc between cardiomyocytes in patients who died from COVID-19. Our results reveal the potential for DSG2 protein and autoimmunity to DSG2 to contribute to unexpected pathologies associated with COVID-19 infection.
AU - Ward,KE
AU - Steadman,L
AU - Karim,AR
AU - Reynolds,GM
AU - Pugh,M
AU - Chua,W
AU - Faustini,SE
AU - Veenith,T
AU - Thwaites,RS
AU - Openshaw,PJM
AU - Drayson,MT
AU - Shields,AM
AU - Cunningham,AF
AU - Wraith,DC
AU - Richter,AG
DO - cei/uxad046
EP - 251
PY - 2023///
SN - 0009-9104
SP - 243
TI - SARS-CoV-2 infection is associated with anti-desmoglein 2 autoantibody detection
T2 - Clinical and Experimental Immunology
UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/cei/uxad046
UR - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/37095599
UR - https://academic.oup.com/cei/article/213/2/243/7140487
VL - 213
ER -