Long COVID, a condition experienced by some individuals after recovering from acute COVID-19, has been a subject of great interest and concern. In a recent study published in Science, researchers analyzed longitudinal data and identified changes in blood serum proteins that could potentially shed light on the factors underpinning long COVID.
Understanding the mechanisms behind long COVID is crucial for developing effective diagnostic tools and treatment strategies. The researchers observed that the blood samples from long COVID patients at 6 months after symptom onset exhibited alterations to blood serum proteins, indicating activation of the immune system’s complement cascade, altered coagulation, and tissue injury. These findings provide evidence of an inflammatory signature specific to patients with active long COVID.
The factors contributing to long COVID are not yet fully understood. Current hypotheses propose tissue damage, viral reservoirs, autoimmunity, or persistent inflammation as potential causes. The study’s findings, which implicate complement activation and thromboinflammation, align with previous research highlighting an increased predisposition for clotting in individuals with long COVID.
The complement system plays a vital role in tagging and eliminating unwanted invaders, acting as an important defense mechanism against infectious agents. However, chronic complement activation can lead to collateral damage to blood vessels and tissues. The study suggests that inhibitors of the complement pathway may hold promise in treating long COVID.
The discovery of complement activation and thromboinflammation as key components of long COVID offers a new avenue for further research. By identifying and developing biomarkers and diagnostics, researchers can enhance their understanding of the biology and mechanisms behind this condition. The study’s findings may pave the way for potential interventions and therapies to alleviate the symptoms of long COVID.
To evaluate the molecular signature of long COVID, Boyman and colleagues conducted a multicenter longitudinal study involving 113 COVID-19 patients from Europe and the U.S. These patients were followed up for 6 months, with 40 individuals exhibiting persistent long COVID symptoms and 73 individuals having recovered. Additionally, 39 healthy individuals were included as controls.
The researchers measured serum levels of 6,596 human proteins across the study participants. A comparison between the long COVID patients, recovered patients, and healthy controls revealed that most of the serum biomarkers that were elevated at the 6-month mark in long COVID overlapped with those altered in the subgroup of patients with severe acute COVID-19.
Long COVID patients demonstrated elevated markers of tissue injury and a thromboinflammatory signature. The elevated tissue injury markers in their blood, along with the presence of von Willebrand factor (vWF) and markers of endothelial activation, indicated endothelial damage. Furthermore, the long COVID patients showed increased levels of monocyte-platelet aggregates, pointing to cellular-level changes associated with the inflammatory response.
The observation of complement and coagulation system activation during acute COVID-19 suggests that these systems remain activated in various tissues of long COVID patients. These findings may open avenues for potential therapeutic interventions. While therapeutic interventions with coagulation and complement inhibitors yielded mixed results in acute COVID-19 cases, the distinctive pathological features of long COVID suggest the need for clinical testing of potential interventions.
The presence of microclots in long COVID patients, similar to those observed in ME-CFS (myalgic encephalomyelitis-chronic fatigue syndrome) patients, suggests crucial interactions between complement, vWF, and coagulation-mediated fibrin formation in postviral syndromes. Target-specific coagulation inhibitors could potentially reprogram innate immune phenotypes and disrupt the microangiopathic roles of vWF.
The identification of an inflammatory signature and activation of the immune system’s complement cascade in long COVID patients provides important insights into the pathogenesis of this condition. By understanding the underlying molecular mechanisms, researchers can develop targeted diagnostic tools and potential therapeutic interventions, offering hope to individuals struggling with the persistent effects of COVID-19. Further research in this area may uncover additional biomarkers and shed more light on the complex biology of long COVID.