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1.
Nat Immunol ; 25(2): 218-225, 2024 Feb.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38212464

ABSTRACT

Long COVID (LC) occurs after at least 10% of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections, yet its etiology remains poorly understood. We used 'omic" assays and serology to deeply characterize the global and SARS-CoV-2-specific immunity in the blood of individuals with clear LC and non-LC clinical trajectories, 8 months postinfection. We found that LC individuals exhibited systemic inflammation and immune dysregulation. This was evidenced by global differences in T cell subset distribution implying ongoing immune responses, as well as by sex-specific perturbations in cytolytic subsets. LC individuals displayed increased frequencies of CD4+ T cells poised to migrate to inflamed tissues and exhausted SARS-CoV-2-specific CD8+ T cells, higher levels of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies and a mis-coordination between their SARS-CoV-2-specific T and B cell responses. Our analysis suggested an improper crosstalk between the cellular and humoral adaptive immunity in LC, which can lead to immune dysregulation, inflammation and clinical symptoms associated with this debilitating condition.


Subject(s)
COVID-19 , SARS-CoV-2 , Female , Male , Humans , Post-Acute COVID-19 Syndrome , CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes , Immunity, Humoral , Antibodies, Viral , Inflammation
2.
Nat Immunol ; 24(10): 1616-1627, 2023 10.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37667052

ABSTRACT

Millions of people are suffering from Long COVID or post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC). Several biological factors have emerged as potential drivers of PASC pathology. Some individuals with PASC may not fully clear the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 after acute infection. Instead, replicating virus and/or viral RNA-potentially capable of being translated to produce viral proteins-persist in tissue as a 'reservoir'. This reservoir could modulate host immune responses or release viral proteins into the circulation. Here we review studies that have identified SARS-CoV-2 RNA/protein or immune responses indicative of a SARS-CoV-2 reservoir in PASC samples. Mechanisms by which a SARS-CoV-2 reservoir may contribute to PASC pathology, including coagulation, microbiome and neuroimmune abnormalities, are delineated. We identify research priorities to guide the further study of a SARS-CoV-2 reservoir in PASC, with the goal that clinical trials of antivirals or other therapeutics with potential to clear a SARS-CoV-2 reservoir are accelerated.


Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Humans , Post-Acute COVID-19 Syndrome , RNA, Viral/genetics , SARS-CoV-2 , Antiviral Agents , Disease Progression
4.
Nature ; 620(7972): 128-136, 2023 Aug.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37468623

ABSTRACT

Studies have demonstrated that at least 20% of individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2 remain asymptomatic1-4. Although most global efforts have focused on severe illness in COVID-19, examining asymptomatic infection provides a unique opportunity to consider early immunological features that promote rapid viral clearance. Here, postulating that variation in the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) loci may underly processes mediating asymptomatic infection, we enrolled 29,947 individuals, for whom high-resolution HLA genotyping data were available, in a smartphone-based study designed to track COVID-19 symptoms and outcomes. Our discovery cohort (n = 1,428) comprised unvaccinated individuals who reported a positive test result for SARS-CoV-2. We tested for association of five HLA loci with disease course and identified a strong association between HLA-B*15:01 and asymptomatic infection, observed in two independent cohorts. Suggesting that this genetic association is due to pre-existing T cell immunity, we show that T cells from pre-pandemic samples from individuals carrying HLA-B*15:01 were reactive to the immunodominant SARS-CoV-2 S-derived peptide NQKLIANQF. The majority of the reactive T cells displayed a memory phenotype, were highly polyfunctional and were cross-reactive to a peptide derived from seasonal coronaviruses. The crystal structure of HLA-B*15:01-peptide complexes demonstrates that the peptides NQKLIANQF and NQKLIANAF (from OC43-CoV and HKU1-CoV) share a similar ability to be stabilized and presented by HLA-B*15:01. Finally, we show that the structural similarity of the peptides underpins T cell cross-reactivity of high-affinity public T cell receptors, providing the molecular basis for HLA-B*15:01-mediated pre-existing immunity.


Subject(s)
Alleles , Asymptomatic Infections , COVID-19 , HLA-B Antigens , Humans , COVID-19/genetics , COVID-19/immunology , COVID-19/physiopathology , COVID-19/virology , Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte/immunology , Peptides/immunology , SARS-CoV-2/immunology , HLA-B Antigens/immunology , Cohort Studies , T-Lymphocytes/immunology , Immunodominant Epitopes/immunology , Cross Reactions/immunology , Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus/chemistry , Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus/immunology
5.
Semin Immunol ; 72: 101873, 2024 Mar.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38460395

ABSTRACT

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, significant progress has been made in developing effective preventive and therapeutic strategies against severe acute SARS-CoV-2 infection. However, the management of Long COVID (LC), an infection-associated chronic condition that has been estimated to affect 5-20% of individuals following SARS-CoV-2 infection, remains challenging due to our limited understanding of its mechanisms. Although LC is a heterogeneous disease that is likely to have several subtypes, immune system disturbances appear common across many cases. The extent to which these immune perturbations contribute to LC symptoms, however, is not entirely clear. Recent advancements in multi-omics technologies, capable of detailed, cell-level analysis, have provided valuable insights into the immune perturbations associated with LC. Although these studies are largely descriptive in nature, they are the crucial first step towards a deeper understanding of the condition and the immune system's role in its development, progression, and resolution. In this review, we summarize the current understanding of immune perturbations in LC, covering both innate and adaptive immune responses, and the cytokines and analytes involved. We explore whether these findings support or challenge the primary hypotheses about LC's underlying mechanisms. We also discuss the crosstalk between various immune system components and how it can be disrupted in LC. Finally, we emphasize the need for more tissue- and subtype-focused analyses of LC, and for enhanced collaborative efforts to analyze common specimens from large cohorts, including those undergoing therapeutic interventions. These collective efforts are vital to unravel the fundaments of this new disease, and could also shed light on the prevention and treatment of the larger family of chronic illnesses linked to other microbial infections.


Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Post-Acute COVID-19 Syndrome , Humans , Pandemics , SARS-CoV-2 , Adaptive Immunity , Systems Analysis , Immunity, Innate
6.
PLoS Pathog ; 19(11): e1011114, 2023 Nov.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38019897

ABSTRACT

The major barrier to an HIV cure is the HIV reservoir: latently-infected cells that persist despite effective antiretroviral therapy (ART). There have been few cohort-based studies evaluating host genomic or transcriptomic predictors of the HIV reservoir. We performed host RNA sequencing and HIV reservoir quantification (total DNA [tDNA], unspliced RNA [usRNA], intact DNA) from peripheral CD4+ T cells from 191 ART-suppressed people with HIV (PWH). After adjusting for nadir CD4+ count, timing of ART initiation, and genetic ancestry, we identified two host genes for which higher expression was significantly associated with smaller total DNA viral reservoir size, P3H3 and NBL1, both known tumor suppressor genes. We then identified 17 host genes for which lower expression was associated with higher residual transcription (HIV usRNA). These included novel associations with membrane channel (KCNJ2, GJB2), inflammasome (IL1A, CSF3, TNFAIP5, TNFAIP6, TNFAIP9, CXCL3, CXCL10), and innate immunity (TLR7) genes (FDR-adjusted q<0.05). Gene set enrichment analyses further identified significant associations of HIV usRNA with TLR4/microbial translocation (q = 0.006), IL-1/NRLP3 inflammasome (q = 0.008), and IL-10 (q = 0.037) signaling. Protein validation assays using ELISA and multiplex cytokine assays supported these observed inverse host gene correlations, with P3H3, IL-10, and TNF-α protein associations achieving statistical significance (p<0.05). Plasma IL-10 was also significantly inversely associated with HIV DNA (p = 0.016). HIV intact DNA was not associated with differential host gene expression, although this may have been due to a large number of undetectable values in our study. To our knowledge, this is the largest host transcriptomic study of the HIV reservoir. Our findings suggest that host gene expression may vary in response to the transcriptionally active reservoir and that changes in cellular proliferation genes may influence the size of the HIV reservoir. These findings add important data to the limited host genetic HIV reservoir studies to date.


Subject(s)
HIV Infections , HIV-1 , Humans , Interleukin-10 , Inflammasomes , HIV-1/genetics , HIV Infections/drug therapy , HIV Infections/genetics , CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes , Immunity, Innate/genetics , Genes, Tumor Suppressor , Gene Expression , DNA , Viral Load
7.
J Med Virol ; 96(1): e29333, 2024 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38175151

ABSTRACT

Oral nirmatrelvir/ritonavir is approved as treatment for acute COVID-19, but the effect of treatment during acute infection on risk of Long COVID is unknown. We hypothesized that nirmatrelvir treatment during acute SARS-CoV-2 infection reduces risk of developing Long COVID and rebound after treatment is associated with Long COVID. We conducted an observational cohort study within the Covid Citizen Science (CCS) study, an online cohort study with over 100 000 participants. We included vaccinated, nonhospitalized, nonpregnant individuals who reported their first SARS-CoV-2 positive test March-August 2022. Oral nirmatrelvir/ritonavir treatment was ascertained during acute SARS-CoV-2 infection. Patient-reported Long COVID symptoms, symptom rebound and test-positivity rebound were asked on subsequent surveys at least 3 months after SARS-CoV-2 infection. A total of 4684 individuals met the eligibility criteria, of whom 988 (21.1%) were treated and 3696 (78.9%) were untreated; 353/988 (35.7%) treated and 1258/3696 (34.0%) untreated responded to the Long COVID survey (n = 1611). Among 1611 participants, median age was 55 years and 66% were female. At 5.4 ± 1.3 months after infection, nirmatrelvir treatment was not associated with subsequent Long COVID symptoms (odds ratio [OR]: 1.15; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.80-1.64; p = 0.45). Among 666 treated who answered rebound questions, rebound symptoms or test positivity were not associated with Long COVID symptoms (OR: 1.34; 95% CI: 0.74-2.41; p = 0.33). Within this cohort of vaccinated, nonhospitalized individuals, oral nirmatrelvir treatment during acute SARS-CoV-2 infection and rebound after nirmatrelvir treatment were not associated with Long COVID symptoms more than 90 days after infection.


Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Post-Acute COVID-19 Syndrome , Female , Humans , Middle Aged , Male , Ritonavir , Cohort Studies , SARS-CoV-2
8.
J Infect Dis ; 228(1): 64-69, 2023 06 28.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36881933

ABSTRACT

Long-term consequences of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are likely the result of persistent inflammation and immune dysfunction of which cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a known contributor. We leveraged 2 AIDS Clinical Trials Group clinical trials exploring the effects of immune modulators (ruxolitinib and sirolimus) on inflammation in people with HIV on antiretroviral therapy to determine whether these interventions affected CMV shedding at various mucosal sites. Analyzing 635 mucosal samples collected, we found no significant difference in CMV levels across study arms or time points. Men had more CMV shedding than women. We did confirm an association between higher CMV DNA and immune markers associated with HIV persistence and HIV-associated mortality rates.


Subject(s)
Cytomegalovirus Infections , HIV Infections , Male , Humans , Female , Cytomegalovirus/genetics , DNA, Viral/genetics , HIV Infections/complications , HIV/genetics , Inflammation/complications , Virus Shedding
9.
J Infect Dis ; 227(2): 246-250, 2023 01 11.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36089700

ABSTRACT

Interferon (IFN)-specific autoantibodies have been implicated in severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and have been proposed as a potential driver of the persistent symptoms characterizing "long COVID," a type of postacute sequelae of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. We report that only 2 of 215 participants with convalescent SARS-CoV-2 infection tested over 394 time points, including 121 people experiencing long COVID symptoms, had detectable IFN-α2 antibodies. Both had been hospitalized during the acute phase of the infection. These data suggest that persistent anti-IFN antibodies, although a potential driver of severe COVID-19, are unlikely to contribute to long COVID symptoms in the postacute phase of the infection.


Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Humans , SARS-CoV-2 , Interferon-alpha , Post-Acute COVID-19 Syndrome , Autoantibodies , Prevalence
10.
J Infect Dis ; 228(5): 542-554, 2023 08 31.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37166076

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Mechanisms underlying persistent cardiopulmonary symptoms after severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection (postacute sequelae of coronavirus disease 2019 [COVID-19; PASC] or "long COVID") remain unclear. This study sought to elucidate mechanisms of cardiopulmonary symptoms and reduced exercise capacity. METHODS: We conducted cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET), cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) and ambulatory rhythm monitoring among adults >1 year after SARS-CoV-2 infection, compared those with and those without symptoms, and correlated findings with previously measured biomarkers. RESULTS: Sixty participants (median age, 53 years; 42% female; 87% nonhospitalized; median 17.6 months after infection) were studied. At CPET, 18/37 (49%) with symptoms had reduced exercise capacity (<85% predicted), compared with 3/19 (16%) without symptoms (P = .02). The adjusted peak oxygen consumption (VO2) was 5.2 mL/kg/min lower (95% confidence interval, 2.1-8.3; P = .001) or 16.9% lower percent predicted (4.3%-29.6%; P = .02) among those with symptoms. Chronotropic incompetence was common. Inflammatory markers and antibody levels early in PASC were negatively correlated with peak VO2. Late-gadolinium enhancement on CMR and arrhythmias were absent. CONCLUSIONS: Cardiopulmonary symptoms >1 year after COVID-19 were associated with reduced exercise capacity, which was associated with earlier inflammatory markers. Chronotropic incompetence may explain exercise intolerance among some with "long COVID."


Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Exercise Tolerance , Female , Male , Humans , Contrast Media , Heart Rate , SARS-CoV-2 , Gadolinium , Inflammation , Phenotype
11.
Am J Epidemiol ; 192(9): 1562-1575, 2023 09 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37119030

ABSTRACT

Serosurveys are a key resource for measuring severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) population exposure. A growing body of evidence suggests that asymptomatic and mild infections (together making up over 95% of all infections) are associated with lower antibody titers than severe infections. Antibody levels also peak a few weeks after infection and decay gradually. We developed a statistical approach to produce estimates of cumulative incidence from raw seroprevalence survey results that account for these sources of spectrum bias. We incorporate data on antibody responses on multiple assays from a postinfection longitudinal cohort, along with epidemic time series to account for the timing of a serosurvey relative to how recently individuals may have been infected. We applied this method to produce estimates of cumulative incidence from 5 large-scale SARS-CoV-2 serosurveys across different settings and study designs. We identified substantial differences between raw seroprevalence and cumulative incidence of over 2-fold in the results of some surveys, and we provide a tool for practitioners to generate cumulative incidence estimates with preset or custom parameter values. While unprecedented efforts have been launched to generate SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence estimates over this past year, interpretation of results from these studies requires properly accounting for both population-level epidemiologic context and individual-level immune dynamics.


Subject(s)
COVID-19 , SARS-CoV-2 , Humans , Incidence , Kinetics , Seroepidemiologic Studies , COVID-19/epidemiology , Antibodies, Viral
12.
J Med Virol ; 95(11): e29216, 2023 11.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37988251

ABSTRACT

The associations between longitudinal dynamics and the breadth of SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibody (nAb) response with various Long COVID phenotypes before vaccination are not known. The capacity of antibodies to cross-neutralize a variety of viral variants may be associated with ongoing pathology and persistent symptoms. We measured longitudinal neutralizing and cross-neutralizing antibody responses to pre- and post-SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variants in participants infected early in the COVID-19 pandemic, before widespread rollout of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. Cross-sectional regression models adjusted for clinical covariates and longitudinal mixed-effects models were used to determine the impact of the breadth and rate of decay of neutralizing responses on the development of Long COVID symptoms, as well as Long COVID phenotypes. We identified several novel relationships between SARS-CoV-2 antibody neutralization and the presence of Long COVID symptoms. Specifically, we show that, although nAb responses to the original, infecting strain of SARS-CoV-2 were not associated with Long COVID in cross-sectional analyses, cross-neutralization ID50 levels to the Omicron BA.5 variant approximately 4 months following acute infection was independently and significantly associated with greater odds of Long COVID and with persistent gastrointestinal and neurological symptoms. Longitudinal modeling demonstrated significant associations in the overall levels and rates of decay of neutralization capacity with Long COVID phenotypes. A higher proportion of participants had antibodies capable of neutralizing Omicron BA.5 compared with BA.1 or XBB.1.5 variants. Our findings suggest that relationships between various immune responses and Long COVID are likely complex but may involve the breadth of antibody neutralization responses.


Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Post-Acute COVID-19 Syndrome , Humans , Antibodies, Neutralizing , COVID-19 Vaccines , Cross-Sectional Studies , Pandemics , SARS-CoV-2 , Antibodies, Viral
13.
Ann Neurol ; 91(6): 772-781, 2022 06.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35285072

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: As SARS-CoV-2 is known to invade neural cell mitochondria, a plasma system for quantifying central nervous system proteins in living humans was used to investigate neuropathogenic mechanisms of long-COVID-19. METHODS: SARS-CoV-2 proteins and mitochondrial proteins (MPs) in enriched plasma neuron-derived extracellular vesicles (NDEVs) and astrocyte-derived EVs (ADEVs) were quantified in resolved acute COVID-19 without post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 (PASC), PASC without neuropsychiatric manifestations (NP), PASC with NP and healthy controls. RESULTS: NDEV and ADEV mean levels of SARS-CoV-2 S1 and nucleocapsid (N) proteins were higher in all PASC sub-groups than controls, but only N levels were higher in PASC with than without NP. Exosome marker CD81-normalized NDEV mean levels of subunit 6 of MP respiratory chain complex I and subunit 10 of complex III, and neuroprotective MPs Humanin and mitochondrial open-reading frame of the 12S rRNA-c (MOTS-c) all were decreased significantly in PASC with NP but not in PASC without NP relative to controls. NDEV levels of MPs voltage-dependent anion-selective channel protein 1 (VDAC1) and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor 1 (NMDAR1) were decreased in PASC without and with NP, whereas those of calcium channel MPs mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU), sodium/calcium exchanger (NCLX) and leucine zipper EF-hand containing transmembrane 1 protein (LETM1) were decreased only in PASC with NP. ADEV levels of MCU and NCLX only were increased in PASC without and with NP. INTERPRETATION: Abnormal NDEV and ADEV levels of SARS-CoV-2 N and S1 protein and MPs correlate with NP and may be biomarkers for long-COVID prognostics and therapeutic trials. ANN NEUROL 2022;91:772-781.


Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Exosomes , Biomarkers , COVID-19/complications , Disease Progression , Exosomes/metabolism , Humans , Membrane Proteins , Mitochondrial Proteins , SARS-CoV-2 , Post-Acute COVID-19 Syndrome
14.
Clin Infect Dis ; 75(1): e916-e919, 2022 08 24.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34864962

ABSTRACT

Following severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) mRNA vaccination, people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV, PLWH) had lower surrogate virus neutralization test response (P = .03) and a trend toward lower immunoglobulin G (IgG) response (P = .08), particularly among those with lower CD4+ T-cell counts and who received the BNT162b2 vaccine. Study of the impact of supplemental vaccine doses among PLWH is needed.


Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Viral Vaccines , Antibodies, Viral , BNT162 Vaccine , COVID-19/prevention & control , Case-Control Studies , HIV , Humans , Immunoglobulin G , Neutralization Tests , RNA, Messenger , SARS-CoV-2 , Vaccination
15.
J Virol ; 95(8)2021 03 25.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33536176

ABSTRACT

An ability to activate latent HIV-1 expression could benefit many HIV cure strategies, but the first generation of latency reversing agents (LRAs) has proven disappointing. We evaluated AKT/mTOR activators as a potential new class of LRAs. Two glycogen synthase kinase-3 inhibitors (GSK-3i's), SB-216763 and tideglusib (the latter already in phase II clinical trials) that activate AKT/mTOR signaling were tested. These GSK-3i's reactivated latent HIV-1 present in blood samples from aviremic individuals on antiretroviral therapy (ART) in the absence of T cell activation, release of inflammatory cytokines, cell toxicity, or impaired effector function of cytotoxic T lymphocytes or NK cells. However, when administered in vivo to SIV-infected rhesus macaques on suppressive ART, tideglusib exhibited poor pharmacodynamic properties and resulted in no clear evidence of significant SIV latency reversal. Whether alternative pharmacological formulations or combinations of this drug with other classes of LRAs will lead to an effective in vivo latency-reversing strategy remains to be determined.IMPORTANCE If combined with immune therapeutics, latency reversing agents (LRAs) have the potential to reduce the size of the reservoir sufficiently that an engineered immune response can control the virus in the absence of antiretroviral therapy. We have identified a new class of LRAs that do not induce T-cell activation and that are able to potentiate, rather than inhibit, CD8+ T and NK cell cytotoxic effector functions. This new class of LRAs corresponds to inhibitors of glycogen synthase kinase-3. In this work, we have also studied the effects of one member of this drug class, tideglusib, in SIV-infected rhesus monkeys. When tested in vivo, however, tideglusib showed unfavorable pharmacokinetic properties, which resulted in lack of SIV latency reversal. The disconnect between our ex vivo and in vivo results highlights the importance of developing next generation LRAs with pharmacological properties that allow systemic drug delivery in relevant anatomical compartments harboring latent reservoirs.

16.
Transpl Infect Dis ; 24(6): e13835, 2022 Dec.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35426225

ABSTRACT

The effect of vaccination on severity of subsequent COVID-19 in patients with hematologic malignancies (HMs) is unknown. In this single-center retrospective cohort study, we found no difference in severity of COVID-19 disease in vaccinated (n = 16) versus unvaccinated (n = 54) HM patients using an adjusted multiple logistic regression model. Recent anti-B-cell therapy was associated with more severe illness.


Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Hematologic Neoplasms , Humans , COVID-19/prevention & control , Retrospective Studies , Hematologic Neoplasms/complications , Logistic Models , Vaccination
17.
Int J Behav Med ; 29(5): 610-623, 2022 Oct.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34918211

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: There is an urgent need to fully understand the impact of variable COVID-19 experiences and the optimal management of post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection. We characterized the variability in the acute illness experience and ongoing recovery process from participants in a COVID-19 recovery cohort study in Northern California in 2020. METHOD: We completed 24 semi-structured in-depth interviews with adults with confirmed positive SARV-CoV-2 nucleic acid amplification test result, had recovered or were recovering from acute infection, and underwent serial evaluations. We purposefully sampled English- and Spanish-speaking adults with asymptomatic, mild, and severe symptomatic infection, including those who were hospitalized and those with HIV co-infection. We used a thematic analysis to analyze interviews and identify salient themes. RESULTS: After integrating the thematic analysis with clinical data, we identified key themes: (1) across symptom profiles and severity, experiencing COVID-19 was associated with psychological distress; (2) symptomatic infection carried uncertainty in symptom presentation and ongoing recovery (e.g., long COVID); and (3) health information-seeking behavior was facilitated by access to medical care and uncertainty with the recovery process. CONCLUSION: Our data informs the emerging field of "long COVID" research and shows a need to provide information and continuous support to persons with post-acute sequelae to ensure they feel secure along the path to recovery.


Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Adult , COVID-19/complications , Cohort Studies , Humans , SARS-CoV-2 , Post-Acute COVID-19 Syndrome
18.
J Infect Dis ; 224(11): 1839-1848, 2021 12 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34677601

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The biological processes associated with postacute sequelae of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection (PASC) are unknown. METHODS: We measured soluble markers of inflammation in a SARS-CoV-2 recovery cohort at early (<90 days) and late (>90 days) timepoints. We defined PASC as the presence of 1 or more coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-attributed symptoms beyond 90 days. We compared fold-changes in marker values between those with and without PASC using mixed-effects models with terms for PASC and early and late recovery time periods. RESULTS: During early recovery, those who went on to develop PASC generally had higher levels of cytokine biomarkers including tumor necrosis factor-α (1.14-fold higher mean ratio [95% confidence interval {CI}, 1.01-1.28]; P = .028) and interferon-γ-induced protein 10 (1.28-fold higher mean ratio [95% CI, 1.01-1.62]; P = .038). Among those with PASC, there was a trend toward higher interleukin 6 levels during early recovery (1.29-fold higher mean ratio [95% CI, .98-1.70]; P = .07), which became more pronounced in late recovery (1.44-fold higher mean ratio [95% CI, 1.11-1.86]; P < .001). These differences were more pronounced among those with a greater number of PASC symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Persistent immune activation may be associated with ongoing symptoms following COVID-19. Further characterization of these processes might identify therapeutic targets for those experiencing PASC.


Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Inflammation , Biomarkers/blood , COVID-19/complications , COVID-19/immunology , Cytokines/blood , Disease Progression , Humans , Inflammation/blood , Inflammation/virology , Post-Acute COVID-19 Syndrome
19.
Am J Transplant ; 21(5): 1765-1779, 2021 05.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32780519

ABSTRACT

Pharmacologic inhibition of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) in the setting of renal transplantation has previously been associated with lower human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) DNA burden, and in vitro studies suggest that mTOR inhibition may lead to HIV transcriptional silencing. Because prospective clinical trials are lacking, we conducted an open-label, single-arm study to determine the impact of the broad mTOR inhibitor, everolimus, on residual HIV burden, transcriptional gene expression profiles, and immune responses in HIV-infected adult solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients on antiretroviral therapy. Whereas everolimus therapy did not have an overall effect on cell-associated HIV-1 DNA and RNA levels in the entire cohort, participants who maintained everolimus time-averaged trough levels >5 ng/mL during the first 2 months of therapy had significantly lower RNA levels up to 6 months after the cessation of study drug. Time-averaged everolimus trough levels significantly correlated with greater inhibition of mTOR gene pathway transcriptional activity. Everolimus treatment also led to decreased PD-1 expression on certain T cell subsets. These data support the rationale for further study of the effects of mTOR inhibition on HIV transcriptional silencing in non-SOT populations, either alone or in combination with other strategies. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02429869.


Subject(s)
Organ Transplantation , Pharmaceutical Preparations , Adult , Everolimus/therapeutic use , Humans , Immunosuppressive Agents/therapeutic use , Mechanistic Target of Rapamycin Complex 1 , Prospective Studies
20.
J Virol ; 94(2)2020 01 06.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31694950

ABSTRACT

In clinical trials, HIV-1 broadly neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs) effectively lower plasma viremia and delay virus reemergence. The presence of less neutralization-susceptible strains prior to treatment decreases the efficacy of these antibody-based treatments, but neutralization sensitivity often cannot be predicted by sequence analysis alone. We found that phenotypically confirmed CXCR4-utilizing strains are less neutralization sensitive, especially to variable loop 3 (V3 loop)-directed bnAbs, than exclusively CCR5-utilizing strains in some, but not all, cases. Homology modeling suggested that the primary V3 loop bnAb epitope is equally accessible among CCR5- and CXCR4-using strains, although variants that exclusively use CXCR4 have V3 loop protrusions that interfere with CCR5 receptor interactions. Homology modeling also showed that among some, but not all, envelopes with decreased neutralization sensitivity, V1 loop orientation interfered with V3 loop-directed bnAb binding. Thus, there are likely different structural reasons for the coreceptor usage restriction and the different bnAb susceptibilities. Importantly, we show that individuals harboring envelopes with higher likelihood of using CXCR4 or greater predicted V1 loop interference have faster virus rebound and a lower maximum decrease in plasma viremia, respectively, after treatment with a V3 loop bnAb. Knowledge of receptor usage and homology models may be useful in developing future algorithms that predict treatment efficacy with V3 loop bnAbs.IMPORTANCE The efficacy of HIV-1 broadly neutralizing antibody (bnAb) therapies may be compromised by the preexistence of less susceptible variants. Sequence-based methods are needed to predict pretreatment variants' neutralization sensitivities. HIV-1 strains that exclusively use the CXCR4 receptor rather than the CCR5 receptor are less neutralization susceptible, especially to variable loop 3 (V3 loop) bnAbs in some, but not all, instances. While the inability to utilize the CCR5 receptor maps to a predicted protrusion in the envelope V3 loop, this viral determinant does not directly influence V3 loop bnAb sensitivity. Homology modeling predicts that contact between the envelope V1 loop and the antibody impacts V3 loop bnAb susceptibility in some cases. Among pretreatment envelopes, increased probability of using CXCR4 and greater predicted V1 interference are associated with faster virus rebound and a smaller decrease in the plasma virus level, respectively, after V3 loop bnAb treatment. Receptor usage information and homology models may be useful for predicting V3 loop bnAb therapy efficacy.


Subject(s)
Antibodies, Neutralizing/chemistry , Epitopes/chemistry , HIV Antibodies/chemistry , HIV-1/chemistry , Models, Molecular , Antibodies, Neutralizing/immunology , Epitopes/immunology , Female , HIV Antibodies/immunology , HIV-1/immunology , Humans , Male , Protein Structure, Secondary , Receptors, CCR5/chemistry , Receptors, CCR5/immunology
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