Location
LSU Health Sciences Center - New Orleans
Event Website
https://www.medschool.lsuhsc.edu/genetics/2023_medical_student_research_poster_symposium.aspx
Presentation Date
23-10-2023 8:30 AM
Description
Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious disease of the respiratory system caused by SARS-CoV-2 and transmitted through air droplets. COVID-19 presents as a clinically diverse manifestation ranging from asymptomatic through to critical illness with severe pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome and respiratory or multiple organ failure. Abnormal immunological indicators associated with disease severity and mortality in patients with COVID-19 have been described, however limited data are available concerning neutralizing antibody (nAb) responses against SARS-CoV-2 in this cohort. For this reason, we were interested in evaluating functional antibody responses in ICU patients with severe COVID-19.
Methods: Plasma samples were collected in the early stages of the pandemic from patients in the ICU at University Medical Center New Orleans who were severely ill with COVID-19. ICU patient samples (n=24) were assayed for levels of D-dimers and C-reactive protein (CRP), both prognostic indicators for severe COVID-19. Levels (mean + SEM) of D-dimers were 3,929 + 1142 ng/mL (normal range = 0-500 ng/mL) and CRP were 41.3 + 15.3 mg/dL (normal
Results: Plasma RBD-specific IgG titers were readily detected in these ICU patients (mean AUC of 6.36) but not, as expected, in the HD control samples (mean AUC of 0.52 p
Conclusions: This study was designed to evaluate binding and nAb responses against SARSCoV-2 in a cohort of seriously ill COVID-19 patients in the ICU. We were interested in the level of these responses in the face of severe disease. Plasma analyses confirmed high levels of both nAb activity against SARS-CoV-2 and RBD-specific IgG and IgA antibody titers. There was, however, no correlation between neutralization and binding activities, nor of abnormal IgG subclass distribution. Our findings indicate that severe COVID-19 developed in these patients in the face of potent nAb responses against SARS-CoV-2, suggesting that other factors influenced the course of disease. Caveats to note are that longitudinal plasma samples were not available and that the samples tested were taken at different intervals after diagnosis. Future work will involve assay of inflammatory cytokine and chemokine levels in these plasma samples to investigate any correlations with severe COVID-19
Recommended Citation
Maidoh, Christie E., "Evaluation of functional humoral immune responses in COVID-19 patients in the ICU" (2023). Medical Student Research Poster Symposium. 67.
https://digitalscholar.lsuhsc.edu/sommrd/2023MSRD/Posters/67
Included in
Evaluation of functional humoral immune responses in COVID-19 patients in the ICU
LSU Health Sciences Center - New Orleans
Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious disease of the respiratory system caused by SARS-CoV-2 and transmitted through air droplets. COVID-19 presents as a clinically diverse manifestation ranging from asymptomatic through to critical illness with severe pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome and respiratory or multiple organ failure. Abnormal immunological indicators associated with disease severity and mortality in patients with COVID-19 have been described, however limited data are available concerning neutralizing antibody (nAb) responses against SARS-CoV-2 in this cohort. For this reason, we were interested in evaluating functional antibody responses in ICU patients with severe COVID-19.
Methods: Plasma samples were collected in the early stages of the pandemic from patients in the ICU at University Medical Center New Orleans who were severely ill with COVID-19. ICU patient samples (n=24) were assayed for levels of D-dimers and C-reactive protein (CRP), both prognostic indicators for severe COVID-19. Levels (mean + SEM) of D-dimers were 3,929 + 1142 ng/mL (normal range = 0-500 ng/mL) and CRP were 41.3 + 15.3 mg/dL (normal
Results: Plasma RBD-specific IgG titers were readily detected in these ICU patients (mean AUC of 6.36) but not, as expected, in the HD control samples (mean AUC of 0.52 p
Conclusions: This study was designed to evaluate binding and nAb responses against SARSCoV-2 in a cohort of seriously ill COVID-19 patients in the ICU. We were interested in the level of these responses in the face of severe disease. Plasma analyses confirmed high levels of both nAb activity against SARS-CoV-2 and RBD-specific IgG and IgA antibody titers. There was, however, no correlation between neutralization and binding activities, nor of abnormal IgG subclass distribution. Our findings indicate that severe COVID-19 developed in these patients in the face of potent nAb responses against SARS-CoV-2, suggesting that other factors influenced the course of disease. Caveats to note are that longitudinal plasma samples were not available and that the samples tested were taken at different intervals after diagnosis. Future work will involve assay of inflammatory cytokine and chemokine levels in these plasma samples to investigate any correlations with severe COVID-19
https://digitalscholar.lsuhsc.edu/sommrd/2023MSRD/Posters/67
Comments
Mentor: Dr. Alistair Ramsay LSUHSC, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology
3rd Place Winner, Dean's Research Award (Freshman/Sophomore Award)