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FDA Authorizes Convalescent Plasma for COVID-19 Patients

Posted in Diagnostics and Lab Tests, SARS-CoV-2, Serology tests for coronavirus antibodies, Treatment Protocols for COVID-19, tagged , , , , on October 9, 2020| Leave a Comment »

FDA Authorizes Convalescent Plasma for COVID-19 Patients

Reporter: Irina Robu, PhD

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized convalescent plasma therapy in August 2020 for people with coronavirus disease 2019. The convalescent plasma shows promising efficacy in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 and the benefits outweighs the risk  and FDA gave emergency use authorization. The approval is not  for any particular convalescent plasma product, but for preparation collected by FDA registered blood establishments from individuals whose plasma contains anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, and who meet all donor eligibility requirements.

What exactly is convalescent plasma ? It is blood donated from patients who have recovered from COVID-19 has antibodies to the virus that causes it. The donated blood is processed by removing blood cells, leaving behind plasma and antibodies, which can be given to people with COVID-19 to boost their ability to fight the virus. According to FDA, COVID-19 covalescent plasma with high antibody titer can be effective in reducing mortality in hospitalized patients, but low antibody titer can be used based on health care provider discretion.  FDA also indicated that COVID-19 convalescent plasma may be effective in lessening the severity or shortening the length of COVID-19 illness in some hospitalized patients.

To confirm the results, the FDA recommended randomized trialsas COVID-19 convalescent plasma does not yet describe a new standard of care based on the current available evidence.

SOURCE

https://www.medpagetoday.com/infectiousdisease/covid19/88225?xid=NL_breakingnewsalert_2020-08-23

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Coronavirus mutation-does it matter?

Posted in Coronavirus Gene Expression, COVID-19, Genome Biology, Population Health Management, Genetics & Pharmaceutical, tagged , , , , , on October 1, 2020| Leave a Comment »

Coronavirus mutation-does it matter?

Reporter : Irina Robu, PhD

Soon after SARS-CoV-2 was detected in China, scientists began analyzing viral sample and posting the genetic codes online. Mutations allowed researchers to track the spread by linking closely related viruses to understand how SARS-CoV-2 infects humans.  They recognized that SARS-CoV-2 encode their genome in RNA and tends to pick up mutations quickly as they are copied inside their hosts.  Yet,  sequencing data suggest that coronaviruses change more slowly than most RNA viruses, probably because of a proofreading enzyme that corrects fatal copying mutations.  In spite of the virus slow mutation rate, scientists have been able to classified more than 12,000 mutations in SARS-CoV-2 genomes.

Many scientists such as David Montefiori, a virologist who spent much of his career studying how chance mutations in HIV helps it evade the immune system thought that COVID-19 might cause the same thing.  His laboratory in collaboration with Dr. Bette Korber investigated several thousands of coronavirus sequences for mutations that might have changed virus properties around the world.

Compared to HIV, SARS-CoV-2 seems to be changing slower than it spreads, but one mutation is obvious. That mutation  includes a gene encoding the spike protein, which helps the virus particles penetrate cells. According to Korber, the 614th amino acid position of the spike protein, the amino acid aspartate was replaced by glycine, because of a mutation, D614G that altered a single nucleotide in the virus’s 29,903-letter RNA code.

To observe whether D614G  mutation made the virus more transmissible, Montefiori evaluated its effects under laboratory conditions but he couldn’t study the natural SARS-CoV-2 virus in his lab, because of the biosafety containment required. So, he studied a genetically modified form of HIV that used the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein to infect cells. Such ‘pseudo virus’ particles are a workhorse of virology labs: they enable the safe study of deadly pathogens such as the Ebola virus, and they make it simpler to test the effects of mutations.

The strongest sign that D614G has a consequence on the spread of SARS-CoV-2 in humans comes from an ambitious UK effort called the COVID-19 Genomics UK Consortium, which has analyzed genomes of around 25,000 viral samples. From these data, researchers have identified more than 1,300 instances in which a virus entered the United Kingdom and spread, including examples of D- and G-type viruses.

What is clearly known is that D614G is an adaptation that helps the virus infect cells or compete with viruses that don’t carry the change, while at the same time altering a bit of information about how SARS-CoV-2 spreads between people and through a population.  Some scientists believe that D614G mutation should explain how SARS-CoV-2 fuses with cells and can use that process to develop a more efficient vaccine. 

At the present time, the evidence suggests that D614G doesn’t stop the immune system’s neutralizing antibodies from recognizing SARS-CoV-2, partly because the mutation is not in the spike protein’s receptor-binding domain.

SOURCE

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-02544-6?utm_source=Nature+Briefing

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Miniproteins against the COVID-19 Spike protein may be therapeutic

Posted in Coronavirus Gene Expression, COVID-19, Drug Delivery Platform Technology, Immune-Mediation (independent immunopathology: lung and reticuloendothelial system), Population Health Management, Population Health Management, Genetics & Pharmaceutical, SARS-CoV-2, Treatment Protocols for COVID-19, Virus Infective Acute Respiratory Syndrome: SARS-CoV, tagged , , , , , , , on September 30, 2020| Leave a Comment »

Miniproteins against the COVID-19 Spike protein may be therapeutic

Reporter: Stephen J. Williams, PhD

Computer-designed proteins may protect against coronavirus

At a Glance

  • Researchers designed “miniproteins” that bound tightly to the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and prevented the virus from infecting human cells in the lab.
  • More research is underway to test the most promising of the antiviral proteins.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

An artist’s conception of computer-designed miniproteins (white) binding coronavirus spikes. UW Institute for Protein Design

The surface of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, is covered with spike proteins. These proteins latch onto human cells, allowing the virus to enter and infect them. The spike binds to ACE2 receptors on the cell surface. It then undergoes a structural change that allows it to fuse with the cell. Once inside, the virus can copy itself and produce more viruses.

Blocking entry of SARS-CoV-2 into human cells can prevent infection. Researchers are testing monoclonal antibody therapies that bind to the spike protein and neutralize the virus. But these antibodies, which are derived from immune system molecules, are large and not ideal for delivery through the nose. They’re also often not stable for long periods and usually require refrigeration.

Researchers led by Dr. David Baker of the University of Washington set out to design synthetic “miniproteins” that bind tightly to the coronavirus spike protein. Their study was funded in part by NIH’s National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) and National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). Findings appeared in Science on September 9, 2020.

The team used two strategies to create the antiviral miniproteins. First, they incorporated a segment of the ACE2 receptor into the small proteins. The researchers used a protein design tool they developed called Rosetta blueprint builder. This technology allowed them to custom build proteins and predict how they would bind to the receptor.

The second approach was to design miniproteins from scratch, which allowed for a greater range of possibilities. Using a large library of miniproteins, they identified designs that could potentially bind within a key part of the coronavirus spike called the receptor binding domain (RBD). In total, the team produced more than 100,000 miniproteins.

Next, the researchers tested how well the miniproteins bound to the RBD. The most promising candidates then underwent further testing and tweaking to improve binding.

Using cryo-electron microscopy, the team was able to build detailed pictures of how two of the miniproteins bound to the spike protein. The binding closely matched the predictions of the computational models.

Finally, the researchers tested whether three of the miniproteins could neutralize SARS-CoV-2. All protected lab-grown human cells from infection. Candidates LCB1 and LCB3 showed potent neutralizing ability. These were among the designs created from the miniprotein library. Tests suggested that these miniproteins may be more potent than the most effective antibody treatments reported to date.

“Although extensive clinical testing is still needed, we believe the best of these computer-generated antivirals are quite promising,” says Dr. Longxing Cao, the study’s first author. “They appear to block SARS-CoV-2 infection at least as well as monoclonal antibodies but are much easier to produce and far more stable, potentially eliminating the need for refrigeration.”

Notably, this study demonstrates the potential of computational models to quickly respond to future viral threats. With further development, researchers may be able to generate neutralizing designs within weeks of obtaining the genome of a new virus.

—by Erin Bryant

Source: https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/computer-designed-proteins-may-protect-against-coronavirus

Original article in Science

De novo design of picomolar SARS-CoV-2 miniprotein inhibitors

 

  1. View ORCID ProfileLongxing Cao1,2, 
  2. Inna Goreshnik1,2, 
  3. View ORCID ProfileBrian Coventry1,2,3, 
  4. View ORCID ProfileJames Brett Case4, 
  5. View ORCID ProfileLauren Miller1,2, 
  6. Lisa Kozodoy1,2, 
  7. Rita E. Chen4,5, 
  8. View ORCID ProfileLauren Carter1,2, 
  9. View ORCID ProfileAlexandra C. Walls1, 
  10. Young-Jun Park1, 
  11. View ORCID ProfileEva-Maria Strauch6, 
  12. View ORCID ProfileLance Stewart1,2, 
  13. View ORCID ProfileMichael S. Diamond4,7, 
  14. View ORCID ProfileDavid Veesler1, 
  15. View ORCID ProfileDavid Baker1,2,8,*

See all authors and affiliations

Science  09 Sep 2020:
eabd9909
DOI: 10.1126/science.abd9909

Abstract

Targeting the interaction between the SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein and the human ACE2 receptor is a promising therapeutic strategy. We designed inhibitors using two de novo design approaches. Computer generated scaffolds were either built around an ACE2 helix that interacts with the Spike receptor binding domain (RBD), or docked against the RBD to identify new binding modes, and their amino acid sequences designed to optimize target binding, folding and stability. Ten designs bound the RBD with affinities ranging from 100pM to 10nM, and blocked ARS-CoV-2 infection of Vero E6 cells with IC 50 values between 24 pM and 35 nM; The most potent, with new binding modes, are 56 and 64 residue proteins (IC 50 ~ 0.16 ng/ml). Cryo-electron microscopy structures of these minibinders in complex with the SARS-CoV-2 spike ectodomain trimer with all three RBDs bound are nearly identical to the computational models. These hyperstable minibinders provide starting points for SARS-CoV-2 therapeutics.

 

RESEARCH ARTICLE

De novo design of picomolar SARS-CoV-2 miniprotein inhibitors

  1. View ORCID ProfileLongxing Cao1,2, 
  2. Inna Goreshnik1,2, 
  3. View ORCID ProfileBrian Coventry1,2,3, 
  4. View ORCID ProfileJames Brett Case4, 
  5. View ORCID ProfileLauren Miller1,2, 
  6. Lisa Kozodoy1,2, 
  7. Rita E. Chen4,5, 
  8. View ORCID ProfileLauren Carter1,2, 
  9. View ORCID ProfileAlexandra C. Walls1, 
  10. Young-Jun Park1, 
  11. View ORCID ProfileEva-Maria Strauch6, 
  12. View ORCID ProfileLance Stewart1,2, 
  13. View ORCID ProfileMichael S. Diamond4,7, 
  14. View ORCID ProfileDavid Veesler1, 
  15. View ORCID ProfileDavid Baker1,2,8,*

See all authors and affiliations

Science  09 Sep 2020:
eabd9909
DOI: 10.1126/science.abd9909

Abstract

Targeting the interaction between the SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein and the human ACE2 receptor is a promising therapeutic strategy. We designed inhibitors using two de novo design approaches. Computer generated scaffolds were either built around an ACE2 helix that interacts with the Spike receptor binding domain (RBD), or docked against the RBD to identify new binding modes, and their amino acid sequences designed to optimize target binding, folding and stability. Ten designs bound the RBD with affinities ranging from 100pM to 10nM, and blocked ARS-CoV-2 infection of Vero E6 cells with IC 50 values between 24 pM and 35 nM; The most potent, with new binding modes, are 56 and 64 residue proteins (IC 50 ~ 0.16 ng/ml). Cryo-electron microscopy structures of these minibinders in complex with the SARS-CoV-2 spike ectodomain trimer with all three RBDs bound are nearly identical to the computational models. These hyperstable minibinders provide starting points for SARS-CoV-2 therapeutics.

 

SARS-CoV-2 infection generally begins in the nasal cavity, with virus replicating there for several days before spreading to the lower respiratory tract (1). Delivery of a high concentration of a viral inhibitor into the nose and into the respiratory system generally might therefore provide prophylactic protection and/or therapeutic benefit for treatment of early infection, and could be particularly useful for healthcare workers and others coming into frequent contact with infected individuals. A number of monoclonal antibodies are in development as systemic treatments for COVID-19 (2–6), but these proteins are not ideal for intranasal delivery as antibodies are large and often not extremely stable molecules and the density of binding sites is low (two per 150 KDa. antibody); antibody-dependent disease enhancement (7–9) is also a potential issue. High-affinity Spike protein binders that block the interaction with the human cellular receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) (10) with enhanced stability and smaller sizes to maximize the density of inhibitory domains could have advantages over antibodies for direct delivery into the respiratory system through intranasal administration, nebulization or dry powder aerosol. We found previously that intranasal delivery of small proteins designed to bind tightly to the influenza hemagglutinin can provide both prophylactic and therapeutic protection in rodent models of lethal influenza infection (11).

Design strategy

We set out to design high-affinity protein minibinders to the SARS-CoV-2 Spike RBD that compete with ACE2 binding. We explored two strategies: first we incorporated the alpha-helix from ACE2 which makes the majority of the interactions with the RBD into small designed proteins that make additional interactions with the RBD to attain higher affinity (Fig. 1A). Second, we designed binders completely from scratch without relying on known RBD-binding interactions (Fig. 1B). An advantage of the second approach is that the range of possibilities for design is much larger, and so potentially a greater diversity of high-affinity binding modes can be identified. For the first approach, we used the Rosetta blueprint builder to generate miniproteins which incorporate the ACE2 helix (human ACE2 residues 23 to 46). For the second approach, we used RIF docking (12) and design using large miniprotein libraries (11) to generate binders to distinct regions of the RBD surface surrounding the ACE2 binding site (Fig. 1 and fig. S1).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Download high-res image

Fig. 1 Overview of the computational design approaches.

(A) Design of helical proteins incorporating ACE2 helix. (B) Large scale de novo design of small helical scaffolds (top) followed by rotamer interaction field (RIF) docking to identify shape and chemically complementary binding modes.

For full article please  go to Science at https://science.sciencemag.org/content/early/2020/09/08/science.abd9909

 

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The Impact of COVID-19 on the Human Heart

Posted in Biomarkers: Inflammation, COVID-19, COVID-19 effects on Human Heart, Population Health Management, Population Health Management, Genetics & Pharmaceutical, SAR-Cov-2 a vasculotropic (blood vessels) RNA Virus, SARS-CoV-2, SARS-COV2 Hijacking the Complement and Coagulation Systems, Serology tests for coronavirus antibodies, Treatment Protocols for COVID-19, Virus Infective Acute Respiratory Syndrome: SARS-CoV on September 29, 2020| Leave a Comment »

The Impact of COVID-19 on the Human Heart

Reporters: Justin D. Pearlman, MD, PhD, FACC and Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

The Voice of Dr. Pearlman:

 

 

Editorial

September 22/29, 2020

The COVID-19 Pandemic and the JAMA Network

Michael Berkwits, MD, MSCE1; Annette Flanagin, RN, MA1; Howard Bauchner, MD1; et alPhil B. Fontanarosa, MD, MBA1

In 13 Viewpoints in this issue,2–14 JAMA Network editors reflect on the clinical, public health, operational, and workforce issues related to COVID-19 in each of their specialties. Questions and concerns they identify in their clinical communities include the following:

  • Benefits and harms of treatments and identifying mortality risk markers beyond age and comorbidities

  • Cardiovascular consequences of COVID-19 infection, including risks to those with comorbid hypertension and risks for myocardial injury

  • Risk for direct central nervous system invasion and COVID-19 encephalitis and for long-term neuropsychiatric manifestations in a post–COVID-19 syndrome

  • Risks related to SARS-CoV-2 infection for patients with compromised immunity, such as those receiving treatment for cancer

  • Challenges unique to patients with acute kidney injury and chronic kidney disease

  • Risks of viral transmission from aerosol-generating procedures, including most minimally invasive surgeries, and the need for eye protection as well as personal protective equipment as part of universal precautions

  • The prevalence and pathophysiology of skin findings in patients with COVID-19, determining if they are primary or secondary cutaneous manifestations of infection, and how best to manage them

  • The prevalence and significance of eye findings in patients with COVID-19 and the risk of transmission and infection through ocular surfaces

  • The role of anticoagulation for managing the endotheliopathy and coagulopathy characteristic of the infection in some patients

  • Developmental effects on children of the loss of family routines, finances, older loved ones, school and education, and social-based activities and milestone events

  • Effects of the pandemic, mitigation efforts, and economic downturn on the mental health of patients and frontline clinicians

  • Seasonality of transmission as the pandemic enters its third season

  • How to implement reliable seroprevalence surveys to document progression of the pandemic and effects of public health measures

  • Effects of the pandemic on access to care and the rise of telehealth

  • Consequences of COVID-19 for clinical capabilities, such as workforce availability in several specialties, delays in performing procedures and operations, and implications for medical education and resident recruitment.

Additional important questions that require careful observation and research include

  • Randomized evaluations of treatment: what is effective and safe, and what timing of which drug will reduce morbidity and mortality? Will a combination of therapies be more effective than any single drug?
  • Randomized evaluations of preventive interventions, including convalescent plasma, monoclonal antibodies, and vaccines. Which are effective and safe enough to prevent COVID-19 at a population level?
  • How can COVID-19 vaccines and therapeutics be distributed and paid for in ways that are fair and equitable?
  • Is immunity complete or partial, permanent or temporary, what is its mechanism, and how best is it measured? Can the virus mutate around host defenses?
  • How important are preadolescent children to the spread of infection to older family members and adult communities, and what are the implications for parent, caregiver, and teacher personal risk and disease transmission?
  • Is SARS-CoV-2 like influenza (continually circulating without or with seasonality), measles (transmissible but containable beneath threshold limits), or smallpox and polio (eradicable, or nearly so)?
  • Has the pandemic fundamentally altered the way health care is financed and delivered? By shining a spotlight on health inequities, can the pandemic motivate changes in health care finance, organization, and delivery to reduce those inequities?
  • Cardiology and COVID-19

Cardiology and COVID-19 – Original Article

Robert O. Bonow, MD, MS1,2; Patrick T. O’Gara, MD3,4; Clyde W. Yancy, MD, MSc1,4
Author Affiliations Article Information
JAMA. 2020;324(12):1131-1132. doi:10.1001/jama.2020.15088
Bonow  RO, O’Gara  PT, Yancy  CW.  Cardiology and COVID-19.   JAMA. Published online September 22, 2020. doi:10.1001/jama.2020.15088
Article Google Scholar

The initial reports on the epidemiology of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) emanating from Wuhan, China, offered an ominous forewarning of the risks of severe complications in elderly patients and those with underlying cardiovascular disease, including the development of acute respiratory distress syndrome, cardiogenic shock, thromboembolic events, and death. These observations have been confirmed subsequently in numerous reports from around the globe, including studies from Europe and the US. The mechanisms responsible for this vulnerability have not been fully elucidated, but there are several possibilities. Some of these adverse consequences could reflect the basic fragility of older individuals with chronic conditions subjected to the stress of severe pneumonia similar to influenza infections. In addition, development of type 2 myocardial infarction related to increased myocardial oxygen demand in the setting of hypoxia may be a predominant concern, and among patients with chronic coronary artery disease, an episode of acute systemic inflammation might also contribute to plaque instability, thus precipitating acute coronary syndromes, as has also been reported during influenza outbreaks.

However, in the brief timeline of the current pandemic, numerous publications highlighting the constellation of observed cardiovascular consequences have emphasized certain distinctions that appear unique to COVID-19.1 Although the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) gains entry via the upper respiratory tract, its affinity and selective binding to the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor, which is abundant in the endothelium of arteries and veins as well as in the respiratory tract epithelium, create a scenario in which COVID-19 is as much a vascular infection as it is a respiratory infection with the potential for serious vascular-related complications. This may explain why hypertension is one of the cardiovascular conditions associated with adverse outcomes. In the early stages of the pandemic, the involvement of the ACE2 receptor as the target for viral entry into cells created concerns regarding the initiation or continuation of treatment with ACE inhibitors and angiotensin receptor antagonists in patients with hypertension, left ventricular dysfunction, or other cardiac conditions. Subsequently, many studies have shown that these drugs do not increase susceptibility to infection or increase disease severity in those who contract the disease,2 thus supporting recommendations from academic societies that these drugs should not be discontinued in patients who develop COVID-19 infections.

Thrombosis, arterial or venous, is a hallmark of severe COVID-19 infections, related both to vascular injury and the prothrombotic cytokines released during the intense systemic inflammatory and immune responses.3 This sets the stage for serious thrombotic complications including acute coronary syndromes, ischemic strokes, pulmonary embolism, and ischemic damage to multiple other organ systems. Such events can complicate the course of any patient with COVID-19 but would be particularly devasting to individuals with preexisting cardiovascular disease.

Another unique aspect of COVID-19 infections that is not encountered by patients with influenza is myocardial injury, manifested by elevated levels of circulating troponin, creatinine kinase-MB, and myoglobin. Hospitalized patients with severe COVID-19 infections and consequent evidence of myocardial injury have a high risk of in-hospital mortality.4 Troponin elevations are most concerning, and when accompanied by elevations of brain natriuretic peptide, the risk is further accentuated. Although myocardial injury could reflect a COVID-19–related acute coronary event, most patients with troponin elevations who undergo angiography do not have epicardial coronary artery obstruction. Rather, those with myocardial injury have a high incidence of acute respiratory distress syndrome, elevation of D-dimer levels, and markedly elevated inflammatory biomarkers such as C-reactive protein and procalcitonin, suggesting that the combination of hypoxia, microvascular thrombosis, and systemic inflammation contributes to myocardial injury. Myocarditis is a candidate explanation for myocardial injury but has been difficult to confirm consistently. However, features of myocarditis have been reported in case reports5 based on clinical presentation and results of noninvasive imaging, but thus far confirmation of myocarditis based on myocardial biopsy or autopsy examinations has been a rare finding.6 Instead, myocardial tissue samples more typically show vascular or perivascular inflammation (endothelialitis) without leukocytic infiltration or myocyte damage.

There remain important unknowns regarding the intermediate and long-term sequelae of COVID-19 infection among hospital survivors. In an autopsy series of patients who died from confirmed COVID-19 without clinical or histological evidence of fulminant myocarditis,7 viral RNA was identified in myocardial tissue in 24 of 39 cases, with viral load of more than 1000 copies/μg of RNA in 16 cases. A cytokine response panel demonstrated upregulation of 6 proinflammatory genes (tumor necrosis factor, interferon γ, CCL4, and interleukin 6, 8, and 18) in the 16 myocardial samples with the high viral RNA levels.

Whether a subclinical viral load and associated cytokine response such as this in survivors of COVID-19 could translate into subsequent myocardial dysfunction and clinical heart failure require further investigation. However, the results of a recent biomarker and cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging study provide evidence to support this concern.6 Among 100 patients who were studied by CMR after recovery from confirmed COVID-19 infection, of whom 67 did not require hospitalization during the acute phase, left ventricular volume was greater and ejection fraction was lower than that of a control group. Furthermore, 78 patients had abnormal myocardial tissue characterization by CMR, with elevated T1 and T2 signals and myocardial hyperenhancement consistent with myocardial edema and inflammation, and 71 patients had elevated levels of high-sensitivity troponin T. Three patients with the most severe CMR abnormalities underwent myocardial biopsy, with evidence of active lymphocytic infiltration.6 It is noteworthy that all 100 patients in this series had negative COVID-19 test results at the time of CMR study (median, 71 days; interquartile range [IQR], 64-92 days after acute infection). The results of these relatively small series should be interpreted cautiously until confirmed by larger series with longer follow-up and with confirmed clinical outcomes. But the findings do underscore the uncertainty regarding the long-term cardiovascular consequences of COVID-19 in patients who have ostensibly recovered. Of note, a randomized clinical trial of anticoagulation to reduce the risk of thrombotic complications in the posthospital phase of COVID-19 infection is under development through the National Institutes of Health’s set of ACTIV (Accelerating COVID-19 Therapeutic Interventions and Vaccines) initiatives.

In addition, the indirect effects of COVID-19 have become a major concern. Multiple observations during the COVID-19 pandemic confirm a sudden and inexplicable decline in rates of hospital admissions for ST–segment elevation myocardial infarction and other acute coronary syndromes beginning in March and April 2020. This has been a universal experience, with similar findings reported from multiple countries around the world in single-center observations, multicenter registries, and national databases. A concerning increase in out-of-hospital cardiac arrests has also been reported.8 These data suggest that COVID-19 has influenced health care–seeking behavior resulting in fewer presentations of acute coronary syndromes in emergency departments and more out-of-hospital events. Failure to seek appropriate emergency cardiac care could contribute to the observations of increased number of deaths and cardiac arrests, more than the anticipated average during this period8,9 with worse outcomes among those who ultimately do seek care.10 Recent data suggest that admission rates for myocardial infarction may be returning to baseline,10 but outcomes will improve only if patients seek care promptly and hospital systems are not overwhelmed by COVID-19 surges.

Given the ongoing activity of COVID-19, very clear messaging to the public and patients should include the following: heed the warning signs of heart attack, act promptly to initiate emergency medical services, and seek immediate care in hospitals, which have taken every step needed to be safe places. And especially, the messaging should continuously underscore the most important considerations that have been extant since this crisis began—wear a mask and practice physical distancing. In the meantime, the generation of rigorous evidence to inform best practices for diagnosis and management of COVID-19–related cardiovascular disease is a global imperative.

Corresponding Author: Robert O. Bonow, MD, MS, Division of Cardiology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 676 N St Clair St, Ste 600, Chicago, IL 60611 (r-bonow@northwestern.edu)

SOURCE

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2770858

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Black doctors’ group creates panel to vet Covid-19 vaccines

Posted in COVID-19, Economic Impact of Coronavirus Pandemic, Population Health Management, Genetics & Pharmaceutical, tagged , , , on September 28, 2020| Leave a Comment »

Black doctors’ group creates panel to vet Covid-19 vaccines

Reporter : Irina Robu, PhD

A group of black physicians have been working on creating their own expert task force to vet regulators’ decisions about COVID-19 drugs and vaccines, due to the fact that the trust in federal agencies has weakened over the last few months.

According to the president of NMA, Leon McDougle, the new task force will address the suspicion around COVID-19 vaccines. The fear is that the vaccines might not be safe or properly tested before they are approved which makes it the reason some patients of color are wary about taking part in the clinical trials.  The task force will evaluate how well the clinical trials participants characterize demographic breakdown of American population and the fairness of the federal plans to distribute a vaccine to Black, Latino and Native American communities.

The leaders of the black community task force are still figuring out how it will work and what happens if FDA authorizes the use of product without releasing the full data to support it. As past president of the NMA, Dr. Rodney Hood knows that the organization has in its ranks the kind of expertise that could analyze clinical trial data along with expertise in epidemiology and infectious disease.

The black community task force hopes that they are able to tell their patients about the scientific findings regarding COVID-19 vaccine with full transparency and disclosure.

SOURCE

https://www.statnews.com/2020/09/21/black-doctors-group-creates-panel-to-vet-covid19-vaccines/?utm_source=STAT+NewslettersTop of Form

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COVID concern in Cardiology: Asymptomatic patients who have been previously infected demonstrating evidence on MRI of scarring or myocarditis

Posted in Atherogenic Processes & Pathology, Biomarkers: Inflammation, Cardio-Oncology, COVID-19, COVID-19 effects on Human Heart, Frontiers in Cardiology and Cardiovascular Disorders, inflammation independent of lipid levels, Medical Imaging Technology, Image Processing/Computing, MRI, CT, Nuclear Medicine, Ultra Sound, Origins of Cardiovascular Disease, Population Health Management, Genetics & Pharmaceutical, SAR-Cov-2 a vasculotropic (blood vessels) RNA Virus, Systemic Inflammatory Diseases as CVD Risk, Treatment Protocols for COVID-19, Virus Infective Acute Respiratory Syndrome: SARS-CoV on September 21, 2020| Leave a Comment »

COVID concern in Cardiology: Asymptomatic patients who have been previously infected demonstrating evidence on MRI of scarring or myocarditis

Reporters: Justin D. Pearlman, MD, PhD, FACC and Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

 

The Voice of Dr. Justin D. Pearlman, MD, PhD, FACC

Indeed, many viruses can cause inflammation and weakening of the heart.

So far there is no established action to take for prevention, and management is based on clinical manifestations of heart failure: shortness of breath, particularly if worse laying flat or worse with exertion, leg swelling (edema), blood tests showing elevated brain natriuretic peptide (BNP or proBNP, a marker of heart muscle strain), and a basic metabolic panel that may show “pre-renal azotemia” (elevation of BUN and Creatinine, typically in a ratio >20:1) and/or hyponatremia (sodium concentration below 135 mEq/dL). If any of the above are suspected, it is reasonable to get transthoracic echocardiography for systolic and diastolic function. If either systolic or diastolic function by ultrasound show significant impairment not improved by usual therapy (diuretic, ACEI/ARB/ARNI, blocker, aldosterone inhibitor e.g. spironolactone) then an MRI scar map may be considered (MRI scar maps show retention of gadolinium contrast agent by injured heart muscle, first demonstrated by Dr. Justin Pearlman during angiogenesis research MRI studies).

There is no controversy in the above, the controversy is a rush to expanded referral for cardiac MRI without clear clinical evidence of heart impairment, at a stage when there is no established therapy for possible detection of myocarditis (cardiac inflammation). General unproven measures for inflammation may include taking ginger and tumeric supplements if well tolerated by the stomach, drinking 2 cups/day of Rooibos Tea if well tolerated by the liver.

Canakinumab was recommended by one research group to treat inflammation and risk to the heart if the blood test hsCRP is elevated (in addition to potential weakening of muscle, inflammation activates complement, makes atherosclerosis lesions unstable, and thus may elevate risk of heart attack, stroke, renal failure or limb loss from blocked blood delivery). The canakinumab studies were published in NEJM and LANCET with claims of significant improvement in outcomes, but that was not approved by FDA or confirmed by other groups, even though it has biologic plausibility. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-67361732247-X/fulltext

 

Some Heart Societies Agree on Cautions for COVID-Myocarditis Screening

— Official response has been modest, though

by Crystal Phend, Senior Editor, MedPage Today September 18, 2020

Such evidence of myocardial injury and inflammation on CMR turned up in a German study among people who recovered from largely mild or moderate cases of COVID-19 compared with healthy controls and risk factor-matched controls.

Then an Ohio State University study showed CMR findings suggestive of myocarditis in 15% of collegiate athletes after asymptomatic or mild SARS-CoV-2 infection.

But an open letter from some 50 medical professionals across disciplines emphasized that “prevalence, clinical significance and long-term implications” of such findings aren’t known. The letter called on the 18 professional societies to which it was sent on Tuesday to release clear guidance against CMR screening in the general population to look for post-COVID heart damage in the absence of symptoms.

The Society for Cardiac Magnetic Resonance quickly responded with a brief statement from its chief executive officer, Chiara Bucciarelli-Ducci, MD, PhD, agreeing that routine CMR in asymptomatic patients after COVID-19 “is currently not justified… and it should not be encouraged.”

She referred clinicians to the multisociety guidelines on clinical indications of CMR when deciding whether to scan COVID-19 patients. “While CMR is an excellent imaging tool for diagnosing myocarditis in patients with suspected disease, we do not recommend its use in patients without symptoms,” she added.

The American Heart Association didn’t put out any written statement but offered spokesperson Manesh Patel, MD, chair of its Diagnostic and Interventional Cath Committee.

“The American Heart Association’s position on this is that in general we agree that routine cardiac MRI should not be conducted unless in the course of a study” for COVID-19 patients, he said. “There’s a lot of evolving information around people with COVID, and certainly asymptomatic status, whether it’s recent or prior, it’s not clearly known what the MRI findings will mean or what the long-term implications are without both a control group and an understanding around population.”

The ACC opted against taking a stand. It provided MedPage Today with the following statement from ACC President Athena Poppas, MD:

“We appreciate the authors’ concerns about the potential mischaracterization of the long-term impact of myocarditis after a COVID-19 diagnosis and the need for well-designed clinical trials and careful, long term follow-up. The pandemic is requiring everyone make real-time decisions on how to best care for heart disease patients who may be impacted by COVID-19. The ACC is committed to helping synthesize and provide the most up-to-date, high quality information possible to the cardiovascular care team. We will continue to review and assess the scientific data surrounding cardiac health and COVID-19 and issue guidance to help our care team.”

While the open letter noted that some post-COVID patients have been asking for CMR, Walsh noted that primary care would likely see the brunt of any such influx. She personally has not had any patients ask to be screened.

SOURCE

https://www.medpagetoday.com/infectiousdisease/covid19/88704?xid=nl_covidupdate_2020-09-21

Effect of interleukin-1β inhibition with canakinumab on incident lung cancer in patients with atherosclerosis: exploratory results from a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

Published:August 27, 2017DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(17)32247-X

Summary

Background

Inflammation in the tumour microenvironment mediated by interleukin 1β is hypothesised to have a major role in cancer invasiveness, progression, and metastases. We did an additional analysis in the Canakinumab Anti-inflammatory Thrombosis Outcomes Study (CANTOS), a randomised trial of the role of interleukin-1β inhibition in atherosclerosis, with the aim of establishing whether inhibition of a major product of the Nod-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome with canakinumab might alter cancer incidence.

Methods

We did a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of canakinumab in 10 061 patients with atherosclerosis who had had a myocardial infarction, were free of previously diagnosed cancer, and had concentrations of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) of 2 mg/L or greater. To assess dose–response effects, patients were randomly assigned by computer-generated codes to three canakinumab doses (50 mg, 150 mg, and 300 mg, subcutaneously every 3 months) or placebo. Participants were followed up for incident cancer diagnoses, which were adjudicated by an oncology endpoint committee masked to drug or dose allocation. Analysis was by intention to treat. The trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01327846. The trial is closed (the last patient visit was in June, 2017).

Findings

Baseline concentrations of hsCRP (median 6·0 mg/L vs 4·2 mg/L; p<0·0001) and interleukin 6 (3·2 vs 2·6 ng/L; p<0·0001) were significantly higher among participants subsequently diagnosed with lung cancer than among those not diagnosed with cancer. During median follow-up of 3·7 years, compared with placebo, canakinumab was associated with dose-dependent reductions in concentrations of hsCRP of 26–41% and of interleukin 6 of 25–43% (p<0·0001 for all comparisons). Total cancer mortality (n=196) was significantly lower in the pooled canakinumab group than in the placebo group (p=0·0007 for trend across groups), but was significantly lower than placebo only in the 300 mg group individually (hazard ratio [HR] 0·49 [95% CI 0·31–0·75]; p=0·0009). Incident lung cancer (n=129) was significantly less frequent in the 150 mg (HR 0·61 [95% CI 0·39–0·97]; p=0·034) and 300 mg groups (HR 0·33 [95% CI 0·18–0·59]; p<0·0001; p<0·0001 for trend across groups). Lung cancer mortality was significantly less common in the canakinumab 300 mg group than in the placebo group (HR 0·23 [95% CI 0·10–0·54]; p=0·0002) and in the pooled canakinumab population than in the placebo group (p=0·0002 for trend across groups). Fatal infections or sepsis were significantly more common in the canakinumab groups than in the placebo group. All-cause mortality did not differ significantly between the canakinumab and placebo groups (HR 0·94 [95% CI 0·83–1·06]; p=0·31).

Interpretation

Our hypothesis-generating data suggest the possibility that anti-inflammatory therapy with canakinumab targeting the interleukin-1β innate immunity pathway could significantly reduce incident lung cancer and lung cancer mortality. Replication of these data in formal settings of cancer screening and treatment is required.

Funding

Novartis Pharmaceuticals.

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Coronavirus damages the Human Heart Muscle: Disrupting Sarcomeres and Displacing DNA

Posted in COVID-19, COVID-19 effects on Human Heart, SARS-CoV-2, Virus Infective Acute Respiratory Syndrome: SARS-CoV on September 14, 2020| Leave a Comment »

Coronavirus damages the Human Heart Muscle: Disrupting Sarcomeres and Displacing DNA

Reporters: Justin D. Pearlman, MD, PhD, FACC and Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

 

‘Carnage’ in a lab dish shows how the coronavirus may damage the heart

By ELIZABETH COONEY @cooney_liz

SEPTEMBER 4, 2020

In lab experiments, infection of heart muscle cells with SARS-CoV-2 caused long fibers to break apart into small pieces, shown above.GLADSTONE

The scientists first presented small amounts of virus to three types of human heart cells derived from stem cells: cardiomyocytes, cardiac fibroblasts, and endothelial cells. Only cardiomyocytes — the muscle cells — showed signs of viral infection that spread to adjacent muscle cells. They then obtained autopsy specimens from three Covid-positive patients and saw similar, though not identical, changes.

Together, the sarcomere and DNA damage caused by infection could explain earlier findings of heart damage as well as case reports of lingering weakness in patients who recovered from even mild Covid-19 — if they hold up to further scrutiny and are confirmed in more patient samples.

SOURCE

https://www.statnews.com/2020/09/04/carnage-in-lab-dish-shows-how-coronavirus-may-damage-heart/?utm_source=STAT+Newsletters

The Voice of Dr. Justin D. Pearlman, MD, PhD, FACC

Justin D. Pearlman, MD, PhD, FACC – Scientific Expert & Key Opinion Leader on Cardiovascular Diseases, Cardiac Imaging & Complex Diagnosis in Cardiology: Senior Editor & Author

COVID19 is very damaging to heart muscle cells in a petri dish, disrupting sarcomeres (described as diced) and displacing DNA (described as black holes). Observations in a petri dish may not be clinically significant because the viral access, impact, exposure mechanisms and absence of usual defenses may be markedly different in s patient compared to the conditions in the petri dish, yet the observations are disturbing for the unusual pattern of destruction that has been described as carnage, plus the clinical observation that some patients with COVID19 do experience a decline in cardiac function at least acutely. If clinical relevance can be established, the petri dish offers an easy testing ground for potential interventions to mitigate the damage.

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Bradykinin Hypothesis: Potential Explanation for COVID-19

Posted in Biomarkers: Inflammation, Coronavirus Gene Expression, COVID-19, Immune-Mediation (independent immunopathology: lung and reticuloendothelial system), Population Health Management, Genetics & Pharmaceutical, SAR-Cov-2 a vasculotropic (blood vessels) RNA Virus, SARS-CoV-2, SARS-COV2 Hijacking the Complement and Coagulation Systems, Virus Infective Acute Respiratory Syndrome: SARS-CoV on September 8, 2020| Leave a Comment »

Bradykinin Hypothesis: Potential Explanation for COVID-19

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

 

UPDATED on 9/14/2020

First Randomized Trial Backs Safety of ACE and ARB Heart Drugs in COVID-19 Patients

BRACE CORONA trial presented in a Hot Line Session at ESC Congress 2020

September 8, 2020 – Heart patients hospitalized with COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) can safely continue taking angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), according to the BRACE CORONA trial presented in a Hot Line session at the virtual European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Congress 2020.[1]

ACE inhibitors and ARBs are commonly taken by heart patients to reduce blood pressure and to treat heart failure. There is conflicting observational evidence about the potential clinical impact of ACE inhibitors and ARBs on patients with COVID-19.[2] Select preclinical investigations have raised concerns about their safety in patients with COVID-19. Preliminary data hypothesize that renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) inhibitors could benefit patients with COVID-19 by decreasing acute lung damage and preventing angiotensin-II-mediated pulmonary inflammation.

Given the frequent use of these agents worldwide, randomized clinical trial evidence is urgently needed to guide the management of patients with COVID-19.

SOURCE

https://www.dicardiology.com/content/first-randomized-trial-backs-safety-ace-and-arb-heart-drugs-covid-19-patients

Related ACE and ARB Content Related to COVID-19:

ESC Council on Hypertension Says ACE-I and ARBs Do Not Increase COVID-19 Mortality

AHA Explains Severe COVID-19 is Closely Associated With Heart Issues

 

The Voice of Dr. Justin D. Pearlman, MD, PhD, FACC

Justin D. Pearlman, MD, PhD, FACC – Scientific Expert & Key Opinion Leader on Cardiovascular Diseases, Cardiac Imaging & Complex Diagnosis in Cardiology: Senior Editor & Author

The BRACE CORONA TRIAL compared outcomes for COVID19 patients previously on ACE inhibitor or ARB of holding the medication for a month, or not, and saw no significant benefit from withholding either class of medication. The basis for specific concern is the fact that the COVID19 virus utilizes ACE2 receptors for its invasion, and that disturbances in the renin-angiotensin and bradykinin levels and capillary leak have been observed with COVID19 infections. ACEI and ARB medications both modulate the renin angiotensin system, but with different impact on bradykinin levels. Changes in bradykinin levels cause for dry cough seen with ACE inhibitors like lisinopril that are not seen with angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB) such as Losartan. The absence of significant differences in outcome measures by holding either drug weakens the Jacobson’s bradykinin hypothesis based on a cascade of observations related to the ACE2 receptor and downstream effects. The new observations on safety of both ACEI and ARB weaken Jacobson’s hypothesis of a primary importance of renin angiotensin and bradykinin changes in the course and complications of COVID19 infection.

The ACE gene product degrades bradykinin. Jacobson’s bradykinin hypothesis suggested that the observations of capillary leak and disturbances in the renal angiotensin system may be prime factors rather than bystanders. Jacobson made strong statements from associations, but the lack of impact of stoppage of either ACE inhibitors or Angiotensin Receptor Blockers (ARB) argues that his observations are not major in determination of outcomes.

Bradykinin Hypothesis: Potential Explanation for COVID-19

The entry point for the virus is ACE2, which is a component of the counteracting hypotensive axis of RAS. Bradykinin is a potent part of the vasopressor system that induces hypotension and vasodilation and is degraded by ACE and enhanced by the angiotensin1-9 produced by ACE2.

critical imbalance in RAS represented by decreased expression of ACE in combination with increases in ACE2, renin, angiotensin, key RAS receptors, kinogen and many kallikrein enzymes that activate it, and both bradykinin receptors. This very atypical pattern of the RAS is predicted to elevate bradykinin levels in multiple tissues and systems that will likely cause increases in vascular dilation, vascular permeability and hypotension. These bradykinin-driven outcomesexplain many of the symptoms being observed in COVID-19.

Jacobson says, “What we’ve found is that the imbalance in the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) pathway that appeared to be present in Covid-19 patients could be responsible for constantly resensitizing bradykinin receptors. So, this imbalance in the RAS pathways will take the brakes off the bottom of the bradykinin pathway at the receptor level. In addition, the downregulation of the ACE gene in Covid-19 patients, which usually degrades bradykinin, is another key imbalance in the regulation of bradykinin levels. We have also observed that the key negative regulator at the top of the bradykinin pathway is dramatically down-regulated. Thus, you likely have an increase in bradykin production as well, stopping many of the braking mechanisms usually in place, so the bradykinin signal spirals out of control.”

The bradykinin hypothesis also extends to many of Covid-19’s effects on the heart. About one in five hospitalized Covid-19 patients have damage to their hearts, even if they never had cardiac issues before. Some of this is likely due to the virus infecting the heart directly through its ACE2 receptors. But the RAS also controls aspects of cardiac contractions and blood pressure. According to the researchers, bradykinin storms could create arrhythmias and low blood pressure, which are often seen in Covid-19 patients.

“the pathology of Covid-19 is likely the result of Bradykinin Storms rather than cytokine storms,” which had been previously identified in Covid-19 patients, but that “the two may be intricately linked.”

According to Jacobson and his team, MRI studies in France revealed that many Covid-19 patients have evidence of leaky blood vessels in their brains.

bradykinin would indeed be likely to increase the permeability of the blood-brain barrier. In addition, similar neurological symptoms have been observed in other diseases that result from an excess of bradykinin.”

Increased bradykinin levels could also account for other common Covid-19 symptoms. ACE inhibitors — a class of drugs used to treat high blood pressure — have a similar effect on the RAS system as Covid-19, increasing bradykinin levels. In fact, Jacobson and his team note in their paper that “the virus… acts pharmacologically as an ACE inhibitor” — almost directly mirroring the actions of these drugs.

SOURCE

https://elifesciences.org/articles/59177?utm_source=Unknown+List&utm_campaign=7a5785d58d-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_07_27_02_37&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-7a5785d58d-

Potential therapeutic development path is to

  • repurpose existing FDA approved drugs such as Danazol, Stanasolol, Icatibant, Ecallantide, Berinert, Cynryze, Haegarda, etc.. to reduce the amount of bradykinin signaling to prevent the escalation of the bradykinin storm.
  • Partnerships with pharmaceutical companies and clinical research are needed to design and implement the right clinical trials to see how these types of treatments can be applied.
  • Systems biology perspective and think that attempts to inhibit the virus itself will also probably require a combinatorial strategy it’s possible that we will need a combinatorial approach to therapies both on the human side and on the viral side
  • Other compounds could treat symptoms associated with bradykinin storms. Hymecromone, for example, could reduce hyaluronic acid levels, potentially stopping deadly hydrogels from forming in the lungs. And timbetasin could mimic the mechanism that the researchers believe protects women from more severe Covid-19 infections

https://www.forbes.com/sites/cognitiveworld/2020/08/05/your-lungs-can-fill-up-with-jell-o-scientists-discover-a-new-pathway-for-covid-19-inflammatory-response/#7a80ff4c24be

 

A Supercomputer Analyzed Covid-19 — and an Interesting New Theory Has Emerged

A closer look at the Bradykinin hypothesis

Thomas Smith Sep 1, 2020

Earlier this summer, the Summit supercomputer at Oak Ridge National Lab in Tennessee set about crunching data on more than 40,000 genes from 17,000 genetic samples in an effort to better understand Covid-19. Summit is the second-fastest computer in the world, but the process — which involved analyzing 2.5 billion genetic combinations — still took more than a week.

When Summit was done, researchers analyzed the results. It was, in the words of Dr. Daniel Jacobson, lead researcher and chief scientist for computational systems biology at Oak Ridge, a “eureka moment.” The computer had revealed a new theory about how Covid-19 impacts the body: the bradykinin hypothesis. The hypothesis provides a model that explains many aspects of Covid-19, including some of its most bizarre symptoms. It also suggests 10-plus potential treatments, many of which are already FDA approved. Jacobson’s group published their results in a paper in the journal eLife in early July.

According to the team’s findings, a Covid-19 infection generally begins when the virus enters the body through ACE2 receptors in the nose, (The receptors, which the virus is known to target, are abundant there.) The virus then proceeds through the body, entering cells in other places where ACE2 is also present: the intestines, kidneys, and heart. This likely accounts for at least some of the disease’s cardiac and GI symptoms.

https://elemental.medium.com/a-supercomputer-analyzed-covid-19-and-an-interesting-new-theory-has-emerged-31cb8eba9d63

Researchers Use Supercomputers To Discover New Pathway For Covid-19 Inflammation

COGNITIVE WORLD

Jun WuContributor

COGNITIVE WORLD

Contributor Group
AI

A mechanistic model and therapeutic interventions for COVID-19 involving a RAS-mediated bradykinin storm

  1. Michael R Garvin
  2. Christiane Alvarez
  3. J Izaak Miller
  4. Erica T Prates
  5. Angelica M Walker
  6. B Kirtley Amos
  7. Alan E Mast
  8. Amy Justice
  9. Bruce Aronow
  10. Daniel JacobsonIs a corresponding author
  1. Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Biosciences Division, United States
  2. University of Tennessee Knoxville, The Bredesen Center for Interdisciplinary Research and Graduate Education, United States
  3. University of Kentucky, Department of Horticulture, United States
  4. Versiti Blood Research Institute, Medical College of Wisconsin, United States
  5. VA Connecticut Healthcare/General Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, United States
  6. University of Cincinnati, United States
  7. Biomedical Informatics, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Research Foundation, United States
  8. University of Tennessee Knoxville, Department of Psychology, Austin Peay Building, United States

Abstract

Neither the disease mechanism nor treatments for COVID-19 are currently known. Here, we present a novel molecular mechanism for COVID-19 that provides therapeutic intervention points that can be addressed with existing FDA-approved pharmaceuticals. The entry point for the virus is ACE2, which is a component of the counteracting hypotensive axis of RAS. Bradykinin is a potent part of the vasopressor system that induces hypotension and vasodilation and is degraded by ACE and enhanced by the angiotensin1-9 produced by ACE2.Here, we perform a new analysis on gene expression data from cells in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) from COVID-19 patients that were used to sequence the virus. Comparison with BALF from controls identifies a critical imbalance in RAS represented by decreased expression of ACE in combination with increases in ACE2, renin, angiotensin, key RAS receptors, kinogen and many kallikrein enzymes that activate it, and both bradykinin receptors. This very atypical pattern of the RAS is predicted to elevate bradykinin levels in multiple tissues and systems that will likely cause increases in vascular dilation, vascular permeability and hypotension. These bradykinin-driven outcomes explain many of the symptoms being observed in COVID-19.

https://elifesciences.org/articles/59177?utm_source=Unknown+List&utm_campaign=7a5785d58d-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_07_27_02_37&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-7a5785d58d-

Short Report 

https://www.forbes.com/sites/cognitiveworld/2020/08/05/your-lungs-can-fill-up-with-jell-o-scientists-discover-a-new-pathway-for-covid-19-inflammatory-response/#7a80ff4c24be

A hypothesized role for dysregulated bradykinin signaling in COVID‐19 respiratory complications

Joseph A. Rochecorresponding author 1 and Renuka Roche 2
Author information Article notes Copyright and License information Disclaimer
1 Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit MI, USA,
2 College of Health and Human Services, Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti MI, USA,
Joseph A. Roche, ude.enyaw@ehcor.hpesoj.
corresponding authorCorresponding author.
*Correspondence
Joseph A. Roche, Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Wayne State University, 259 Mack Ave., Detroit, MI 48201, USA.
Email: ude.enyaw@ehcor.hpesoj,

Abstract

As of April 20, 2020, over time, the COVID‐19 pandemic has resulted in 157 970 deaths out of 2 319 066 confirmed cases, at a Case Fatality Rate of ~6.8%. With the pandemic rapidly spreading, and health delivery systems being overwhelmed, it is imperative that safe and effective pharmacotherapeutic strategies are rapidly explored to improve survival. In this paper, we use established and emerging evidence to propose a testable hypothesis that, a vicious positive feedback loop of des‐Arg(9)‐bradykinin‐ and bradykinin‐mediated inflammation → injury → inflammation, likely precipitates life threatening respiratory complications in COVID‐19. Through our hypothesis, we make the prediction that the FDA‐approved molecule, icatibant, might be able to interrupt this feedback loop and, thereby, improve the clinical outcomes. This hypothesis could lead to basic, translational, and clinical studies aimed at reducing COVID‐19 morbidity and mortality.

Keywords: bradykinin, bradykinin receptor, coronavirus, icatibant, inflammation, injury

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7267506/

 

 

Kallikrein-kinin blockade in patients with COVID-19 to prevent acute respiratory distress syndrome

Frank L van de Veerdonk1*, Mihai G Netea1,2, Marcel van Deuren1,

Jos WM van der Meer1, Quirijn de Mast1, Roger J Bru¨ggemann3,

Hans van der Hoeven4

van de Veerdonk et al. eLife 2020;9:e57555. DOI: https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.57555 1 of 9

Abstract

COVID-19 patients can present with pulmonary edema early in disease. We propose that this is due to a local vascular problem because of activation of bradykinin 1 receptor (B1R) and B2R on endothelial cells in the lungs. SARS-CoV-2 enters the cell via ACE2 that next to its role in RAAS is needed to inactivate des-Arg9 bradykinin, the potent ligand of the B1R. Without ACE2 acting as a guardian to inactivate the ligands of B1R, the lung environment is prone for local vascular leakage leading to angioedema. Here, we hypothesize that a kinin-dependent local lung angioedema via B1R and eventually B2R is an important feature of COVID-19. We propose that blocking the B2R and inhibiting plasma kallikrein activity might have an ameliorating effect on early disease caused by COVID-19 and might prevent acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). In addition, this pathway might indirectly be responsive to anti-inflammatory agents.

 

Kinins and cytokines in COVID-19: a comprehensive pathophysiological approach

Frank L. van de Veerdonk1*, Mihai G. Netea1,2, Marcel van Deuren1, Jos W.M. van der Meer1, Quirijn de Mast1, Roger J. Brüggemann3, Hans van der Hoeven4

doi:10.20944/preprints202004.0023.v1

Abstract

Most striking observations in COVID-19 patients are the hints on pulmonary edema (also seen on CT scans as ground glass opacities), dry cough, fluid restrictions to prevent more severe hypoxia, the huge PEEP that is needed while lungs are compliant, and the fact that antiinflammatory therapies are not powerful enough to counter the severity of the disease. We propose that the severity of the disease and many deaths are due to a local vascular problem due to activation of B1 receptors on endothelial cells in the lungs. SARS-CoV-2 enters the cell via ACE2, a cell membrane bound molecule with enzymatic activity that next to its role in RAS is needed to inactivate des-Arg9 bradykinin, the potent ligand of the bradykinin receptor type 1 (B1). In contrast to bradykinin receptor 2 (B2), the B1 receptor on endothelial cells is upregulated by proinflammatory cytokines. Without ACE2 acting as a guardian to inactivate the ligands of B1, the lung environment is prone for local vascular leakage leading to angioedema. Angioedema is likely a feature already early in disease, and might explain the typical CT scans and the feeling of people that they drown. In some patients, this is followed by a clinical worsening of disease around day 9 due to the formation antibodies directed against the spike (S)-antigen of the corona-virus that binds to ACE2 that could contribute to disease by enhancement of local immune cell influx and proinflammatory cytokines leading to damage. In parallel, inflammation induces more B1 expression, and possibly via antibody-dependent enhancement of viral infection leading to continued ACE2 dysfunction in the lung because of persistence of the virus. In this viewpoint we propose that a bradykinin-dependent local lung angioedema via B1 and B2 receptors is an important feature of COVID-19, resulting in a very high number of ICU admissions. We propose that blocking the B1 and B2 receptors might have an ameliorating effect on disease caused by COVID-19. This kinin-dependent pulmonary edema is resistant to corticosteroids or adrenaline and should be targeted as long as the virus is present. In addition, this pathway might indirectly be responsive to anti-inflammatory agents or neutralizing strategies for the anti-S-antibody induced effects, but by itself is likely to be insufficient to reverse all the pulmonary edema. Moreover, we provide a suggestion of how to ventilate in the ICU in the context of this hypothesis.

 

Emerging Pandemic Diseases: How We Got to COVID-19

David M. Morens1,* and Anthony S. Fauci1

1Office of the Director, National Institute of Allergy & Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA

*Correspondence: dm270q@nih.gov

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2020.08.021

SUMMARY

Infectious diseases prevalent in humans and animals are caused by pathogens that once emerged from other animal hosts. In addition to these established infections, new infectious diseases periodically emerge. In extreme cases they may cause pandemics such as COVID-19; in other cases, dead-end infections or smaller epidemics result. Established diseases may also re-emerge, for example by extending geographically or by becoming more transmissible or more pathogenic. Disease emergence reflects dynamic balances and imbalances, within complex globally distributed ecosystems comprising humans, animals, pathogens, and the environment. Understanding these variables is a necessary step in controlling future devastating disease emergences.

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Why Blood Clots Are a Major Problem in Severe COVID-19

Posted in Biomarkers: Inflammation, Coronavirus Gene Expression, COVID-19, Immune-Mediation (independent immunopathology: lung and reticuloendothelial system), Population Health Management, Genetics & Pharmaceutical, SAR-Cov-2 a vasculotropic (blood vessels) RNA Virus, SARS-CoV-2, SARS-COV2 Hijacking the Complement and Coagulation Systems, Treatment Protocols for COVID-19, Virus Infective Acute Respiratory Syndrome: SARS-CoV, tagged , , , , , , , , on September 1, 2020| Leave a Comment »

Why Blood Clots Are a Major Problem in Severe COVID-19

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

 

  • Clotting in uninjured blood vessels is a common occurrence in hospital patients, especially those in the intensive care unit.

  • In a July report in the journal Blood, Al-Samkari and colleagues found that nearly 10 percent of 400 people hospitalized for Covid-19 developed clots. In a February report by researchers in China, about 70 percent of people who died of Covid-19 had widespread clotting, while few survivors did.
  • people who died of Covid-19 were nine times as likely to be speckled with tiny clots as those of people who died of influenza
  • SARS-CoV-2 infects and damages the cells lining blood vessels, it could expose the tissue underneath
  • clotting results from inflammation. And here, many experts are eyeing a set of proteins called the complement system
  • These proteins, known collectively as complement, attack invaders and call in other parts of the immune system to assist. They also can activate platelets and promote clotting.
  • Claudia Kemper1,2,3 said “complementologists think that this is a massive part of the disease”  signs of complement activity in the lungs and livers of people who died from Covid-19
  • Laurence found several active complement proteins in the skin and blood vessels of his early Covid-19 clotting cases
  • a New York team found that patients were more likely to become very ill and die if they had a history of clotting or bleeding, or if they had macular degeneration, which can indicate complement problems.
  • Genes involved in complement and clotting responses were more active when the virus was present in patients’ nasal swabs.
  • immune element may promote clotting in severe Covid-19 cases: an overreaction called a cytokine storm, in which the body releases an excess of inflammation-promoting cytokine molecules.
  • Body’s response in need of control: (1) control the clotting, (2) control the inflammation, (2) control the complement pathway in tandem with antiviral Remdesivir that controls the viral replication thus the viral load.
  • Balance the risk of clotting with the danger of bleeding (bleeds into the digestive system for these patients, but they may also hemorrhage in the lungs, brain or spots where medical devices pierce the skin)
  • Dosage of blood thinners is debated – 40 Studies found for: anticoagulation | Covid19
    Also searched for COVID and SARS-CoV-2. See Search Details
  • there is no evidence that people with less severe Covid-19, who do not require hospitalization, should take blood thinners or aspirin to ward off clots.
  • Management of Clotting: Argatroban, for example, is a Food and Drug Administration-approved anticoagulant that interferes with thrombin, an element of the clotting cascade. Eculizumab, which blocks one of the complement proteins, is approved for certain inflammatory conditions.
  • Clinical judgement is used in light of lack of evidence

 

SOURCES

Why Blood Clots Are a Major Problem in Severe Covid-19

By Amber Dance Knowable magazine
SMITHSONIANMAG.COM

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/why-blood-clots-are-major-problem-severe-covid-19-180975678/

Complement and the Regulation of T Cell Responses

Annual Review of Immunology

Vol. 36:309-338 (Volume publication date April 2018)
https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-immunol-042617-053245

Erin E. West,1 Martin Kolev,2 and Claudia Kemper1,2,3

1Laboratory of Molecular Immunology and Immunology Center, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, United States; email: , 

2Division of Transplant Immunology and Mucosal Biology, King’s College London, London SE1 9RT, United Kingdom; email: 

3Institute for Systemic Inflammation Research, University of Lübeck, 23562 Lübeck, Germany

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Abstract

The complement system is an evolutionarily ancient key component of innate immunity required for the detection and removal of invading pathogens. It was discovered more than 100 years ago and was originally defined as a liver-derived, blood-circulating sentinel system that classically mediates the opsonization and lytic killing of dangerous microbes and the initiation of the general inflammatory reaction. More recently, complement has also emerged as a critical player in adaptive immunity via its ability to instruct both B and T cell responses. In particular, work on the impact of complement on T cell responses led to the surprising discoveries that the complement system also functions within cells and is involved in regulating basic cellular processes, predominantly those of metabolic nature. Here, we review current knowledge about complement’s role in T cell biology, with a focus on the novel intracellular and noncanonical activities of this ancient system.

 

Keywords

CD46, Th1 response, complosome, metabolism, autoimmunity, infection

SOURCE

https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/10.1146/annurev-immunol-042617-053245

Complement Dysregulation and Disease: Insights from Contemporary Genetics

M. Kathryn Liszewski,1 Anuja Java,2

Elizabeth C. Schramm,3 and John P. Atkinson1

1Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110; email: j.p.atkinson@wustl.edu

2Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110

3Serion Inc., St. Louis, Missouri 63108

 

Keywords

atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome, age-related macular degeneration,

alternative complement pathway, C3 glomerulopathies, factor H, CD46,

factor I, C3, factor B

Abstract

The vertebrate complement system consists of sequentially interacting proteins that provide for a rapid and powerful host defense. Nearly 60 proteins comprise three activation pathways (classical, alternative, and lectin) and a terminal cytolytic pathway common to all. Attesting to its potency, nearly half of the system’s components are engaged in its regulation. An emerging theme over the past decade is that variations in these inhibitors predispose to two scourges of modern humans. One, occurring most often in childhood, is a rare but deadly thrombomicroangiopathy called atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome. The other, age-related macular degeneration, is the most common form of blindness in the elderly. Their seemingly unrelated clinical presentations and pathologies share the common theme of overactivity of the complement system’s alternative pathway. This review summarizes insights gained from contemporary genetics for understanding how dysregulation of this powerful innate immune system leads to these human diseases.

CONCLUSIONS AND PERSPECTIVES

Over the last decade, a remarkable advance has been the elucidation of the role of mutations in complement regulators and components in aHUS, AMD, and C3G. Next-generation sequencing has led theway to these discoveries, but functional assessments are the critical factors in definitively associating pathogenesis with genetic variants.

Most exciting has been the development and approval by the FDA of the monoclonal antibody, eculizumab, as the new standard of care for treatment of aHUS. Challenges remain, however because eculizumab is costly and the duration of treatment remains uncertain and warrants further prospective studies. The use of eculizumab in C3G should also be prospectively addressed.

Furthermore, given the increasing number of mutations in the complement regulatory proteins identified in aHUS and C3G and the heterogeneity in the mechanisms leading to dysregulation of the AP, there is a need for further assessment of the genetic variants of unknown significance. As yet, no complement inhibitor has been approved to treat AMD.

These analyses coupled with the anticipated new developments of complement therapeutics will help establish patient-tailored therapies based on each patient’s specific alteration. The future holds much promise for the further delineation of complement-disease associations and for novel complement-targeted therapeutic agents.

SOURCE

Annu. Rev. Pathol. Mech. Dis. 2017. 12:25–52

https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/10.1146/annurev-pathol-012615-044145

 

SARS-CoV2 drives JAK1/2-dependent local and systemic complement hyperactivation

Bingyu Yan1†, Tilo Freiwald2†, Daniel Chauss2†, Luopin Wang1†, Erin West3†, Jack Bibby3,

Matthew Olson4, Shahram Kordasti5, Didier Portilla2,6, Arian Laurence7, Michail S Lionakis8,

Claudia Kemper3,9*, Behdad Afzali2*, Majid Kazemian1*

Abstract

Patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) present with a range of devastating acute clinical manifestations affecting the lungs, liver, kidneys and gut. The best-characterized entry receptor for the disease-causing virus SARS-CoV2, angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) 2, is highly expressed in these tissues. However, the pathways that underlie the disease are still poorly understood. Here we show that the complement system is unexpectedly one of the intracellular pathways most highly induced by SARS-CoV2 infection in lung epithelial and liver cells. Within cells of the bronchoalveolar lavage of patients, distinct signatures of complement activation in myeloid, lymphoid and epithelial cells tracked with disease severity. Modelling the regulome of host genes induced by COVID-19 and the drugs that could normalize these genes both implicated the JAK1/2-STAT1 signaling system downstream of type I interferon receptors, and NF-kB.

Ruxolitinib, a JAK1/2 inhibitor and the top predicted pharmaceutical candidate, normalized interferon signature genes, IL-6 (the best characterized severity marker in COVID-19) and all complement genes induced by SARS-CoV2, but did not affect NF-kB-regulated genes. We predict that combination therapy with JAK inhibitors and other agents with the potential to normalize NFkB-signaling, such as anti-viral agents, may serve as an effective clinical strategy.

SOURCE

 

Other related articles published in this Open Access Online Scientific Journal include the following: 

 

Is SARS-COV2 Hijacking the Complement and Coagulation Systems?

Reporter: Stephen J. Williams, PhD

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2020/08/04/is-sars-cov2-hijacking-the-complement-and-coagulation-systems/

 

New Etiology for COVID-19: Death results from Immune-Mediation (virus-independent immunopathology: lung and reticuloendothelial system) vs Pathogen-Mediation causing Organ Dysfunction & Hyper-Inflammation – Immunomodulatory Therapeutic Approaches (dexamethasone)

Curators: Stephen J. Williams and Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2020/07/12/new-etiology-for-covid-19-death-results-from-immune-mediation-virus-independent-immunopathology-lung-and-reticuloendothelial-system-vs-pathogen-mediation-causing-organ-dysfunction-hyper-infl/

Corticosteroid, Dexamethasone Improves Survival in COVID-19: Deaths reduction by 1/3 in ventilated patients and by 1/5 in other patients receiving oxygen only

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN – bold face and color fonts added

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2020/06/27/corticosteroid-dexamethasone-improves-survival-in-covid-19-deaths-reduction-by-1-3-in-ventilated-patients-and-by-1-5-in-other-patients-receiving-oxygen-only/

SAR-Cov-2 is probably a vasculotropic RNA virus affecting the blood vessels: Endothelial cell infection and endotheliitis in COVID-19

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN – Bold face and colors are my addition

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2020/06/01/sar-cov-2-is-probably-a-vasculotropic-rna-virus-affecting-the-blood-vessels-endothelial-cell-infection-and-endotheliitis-in-covid-19/

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Sex Differences in Immune Responses that underlie COVID-19 Disease Outcomes

Posted in Biomarkers: Inflammation, Coronavirus Gene Expression, COVID-19, Evolution of Biology Through Culture, number of asymptomatic infections, Population Health Management, Population Health Management, Genetics & Pharmaceutical, SARS-CoV-2, Seasonality & Environmental Factors in Resurgence, Serology tests for coronavirus antibodies, Treatment Protocols for COVID-19, Vaccinology, Virus Infective Acute Respiratory Syndrome: SARS-CoV on September 1, 2020| Leave a Comment »

Sex Differences in Immune Responses that underlie COVID-19 Disease Outcomes

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN and Irina Robu, PhD COVID-19 is a non-discriminatory virus, it can infect anyone from young to old, but it seems that older men are twice more susceptible to it and most likely to become severely sick and die in comparison to women of the same age. Researchers from Yale university, published an article suggesting that men, particularly those over the age of 60 may need to depend more on vaccines to protect themselves from infection. According to their research published in Nature in August 2020, known sex differences between men and women pose challenges to the immune system. Women mount faster and stronger immune responses, possibly because their bodies are equipped to fight pathogens that threaten unborn or newborn children. Over time, an immune system in a constant state of high alert can be harmful. The findings underline the necessity for companies developing coronavirus vaccines to analyze their data by sex and may influence decisions about dosing. Dr. Iwasaki’s team from Yale  analyzed immune responses in 17 men and 22 women who were admitted to the hospital soon after they were infected with the coronavirus. The investigators collected blood, nasopharyngeal swabs, saliva, urine and stool from the patients every three to seven days. The researchers also analyzed data from an additional 59 men and women who did not meet those criteria. Over all, the scientists found, the women’s bodies produced more T cells, which can kill and stop the infection from spreading. Men on the other hand presented  a much weaker activation of T cells and that delay was linked to how sick the men became. The older the men, the weaker their T cell responses. Even though the study provided some more information about why men become sicker when diagnosed with coronavirus than women,  it did not offer a clear reason for the differences between men and women. SOURCE https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-020-2700-3
Article

This is an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication. Nature Research are providing this early version of the manuscript as a service to our authors and readers. The manuscript will undergo copyediting, typesetting and a proof review before it is published in its final form. Please note that during the production process errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers apply.

Sex differences in immune responses that underlie COVID-19 disease outcomes

Nature (2020)Cite this article

Abstract

A growing body of evidence indicates sex differences in the clinical outcomes of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)1–5. However, whether immune responses against SARS-CoV-2 differ between sexes, and whether such differences explain male susceptibility to COVID-19, is currently unknown. In this study, we examined sex differences in
  • viral loads,
  • SARS-CoV-2-specific antibody titers,
  • plasma cytokines, as well as
  • blood cell phenotyping in COVID-19 patients.
By focusing our analysis on patients with moderate disease who had not received immunomodulatory medications, our results revealed that
  • male patients had higher plasma levels of innate immune cytokines such as IL-8 and IL-18 along with more robust induction of non-classical monocytes. In contrast,
  • female patients mounted significantly more robust T cell activation than male patients during SARS-CoV-2 infection, which was sustained in old age.
  • Importantly, we found that a poor T cell response negatively correlated with patients’ age and was associated with worse disease outcome in male patients, but not in female patients.
  • Conversely, higher innate immune cytokines in female patients associated with worse disease progression, but not in male patients.
  • These findings reveal a possible explanation underlying observed sex biases in COVID-19, and provide an important basis for the development of
  • a sex-based approach to the treatment and care of men and women with COVID-19.

Author information

Author notes
  1. These authors contributed equally: Takehiro Takahashi, Mallory K. Ellingson, Patrick Wong, Benjamin Israelow, Carolina Lucas, Jon Klein, Julio Silva, Tianyang Mao.

Affiliations

  1. Department of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA

    Takehiro Takahashi, Patrick Wong, Benjamin Israelow, Carolina Lucas, Jon Klein, Julio Silva, Tianyang Mao, Ji Eun Oh, Maria Tokuyama, Peiwen Lu, Arvind Venkataraman, Annsea Park, Feimei Liu, Eric Y. Wang, Molly L. Bucklin, Yiyun Cao, William Khoury-Hanold, Daniel Kim, Eriko Kudo, Melissa Linehan, Alice Lu-Culligan, Anjelica Martin, Tyler Rice, Eric Song, Nicole Sonnert, Yexin Yang, Aaron M. Ring & Akiko Iwasaki

  2. Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA

    Mallory K. Ellingson, Arnau Casanovas-Massana, Anne L. Wyllie, Chantal B.F. Vogels, Rebecca Earnest, Sarah Lapidus, Isabel M. Ott, Adam J. Moore, Kristina Brower, Chaney Kalinich, M. Catherine Muenker, Isabel Ott, Mary Petrone, Annie Watkins, Elizabeth B. White, Nathan D. Grubaugh, Albert I. Ko & Saad B. Omer

  3. Department of Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA

    Benjamin Israelow, Melissa Campbell, Rupak Datta, Subhasis Mohanty, Haowei Wang, Albert Shaw, John B. Fournier, Camila D. Odio, Shelli Farhadian & Saad B. Omer

  4. Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale School of Engineering & Applied Science, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA

    Feimei Liu

  5. Boyer Center for Molecular Medicine, Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA

    Amit Meir

  6. Department of Comparative Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA

    Jonathan Sun

  7. Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA

    Isabel M. Ott

  8. Department of Medicine, Section of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA

    Giuseppe DeIuliis, Lokesh Sharma & Charles Dela Cruz

  9. Department of Laboratory Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA

    Wade L. Schulz

  10. Center for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Yale-New Haven Hospital, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA

    Wade L. Schulz

  11. Yale Institute for Global Health, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA

    Amyn A. Malik & Saad B. Omer

  12. Yale School of Nursing, Yale University, Orange, CT, 06477, USA

    Saad B. Omer

  13. Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD, 20815, USA

    Akiko Iwasaki

  14. Yale Center for Clinical Investigation, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA

    Kelly Anastasio, Staci Cahill & Maxine Kuang

  15. Department of Neurology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA

    Michael H. Askenase & Sofia Velazquez

  16. Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA

    Maria Batsu, Hannah Beatty, Santos Bermejo, Bertie Geng, Laura Glick, Ryan Handoko, Lynda Knaggs, Irene Matos, David McDonald, Maksym Minasyan, Nida Naushad, Allison Nelson, Jessica Nouws, Abeer Obaid, Hong-Jai Park, Xiaohua Peng, Harold Rahming, Kadi-Ann Rose, Lorenzo Sewanan, Denise Shepard, Erin Silva, Michael Simonov, Mikhail Smolgovsky, Yvette Strong, Codruta Todeasa, Jordan Valdez & Pavithra Vijayakumar

  17. Department of Biochemistry and of Molecular Biology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA

    Sean Bickerton & Edward Courchaine

  18. Yale Viral Hepatitis Program, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA

    Joseph Lim

  19. Equity Research and Innovation Center, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA

    Marcella Nunez-Smith

  20. Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA

    Sarah Prophet

Consortia

Yale IMPACT research team

  • Kelly Anastasio
  • , Michael H. Askenase
  • , Maria Batsu
  • , Hannah Beatty
  • , Santos Bermejo
  • , Sean Bickerton
  • , Kristina Brower
  • , Molly L. Bucklin
  • , Staci Cahill
  • , Melissa Campbell
  • , Yiyun Cao
  • , Edward Courchaine
  • , Rupak Datta
  • , Giuseppe DeIuliis
  • , Bertie Geng
  • , Laura Glick
  • , Ryan Handoko
  • , Chaney Kalinich
  • , William Khoury-Hanold
  • , Daniel Kim
  • , Lynda Knaggs
  • , Maxine Kuang
  • , Eriko Kudo
  • , Joseph Lim
  • , Melissa Linehan
  • , Alice Lu-Culligan
  • , Amyn A. Malik
  • , Anjelica Martin
  • , Irene Matos
  • , David McDonald
  • , Maksym Minasyan
  • , Subhasis Mohanty
  • , M. Catherine Muenker
  • , Nida Naushad
  • , Allison Nelson
  • , Jessica Nouws
  • , Marcella Nunez-Smith
  • , Abeer Obaid
  • , Isabel Ott
  • , Hong-Jai Park
  • , Xiaohua Peng
  • , Mary Petrone
  • , Sarah Prophet
  • , Harold Rahming
  • , Tyler Rice
  • , Kadi-Ann Rose
  • , Lorenzo Sewanan
  • , Lokesh Sharma
  • , Denise Shepard
  • , Erin Silva
  • , Michael Simonov
  • , Mikhail Smolgovsky
  • , Eric Song
  • , Nicole Sonnert
  • , Yvette Strong
  • , Codruta Todeasa
  • , Jordan Valdez
  • , Sofia Velazquez
  • , Pavithra Vijayakumar
  • , Haowei Wang
  • , Annie Watkins
  • , Elizabeth B. White
  •  & Yexin Yang

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Akiko Iwasaki.

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