SCIENCE AT A GLANCE

Anti-neuronal antibodies against brainstem antigens are associated with COVID-19

Understanding how SARS-CoV-2 affects respiratory centers in the brainstem may help to preclude assisted ventilation for patients in intensive care setting. Researchers used peptide microarrays to screen serum and CSF samples from COVID-19 patients admitted to intensive care and compared with controls who experienced mild course of the disease.  The microarrays were scanned using the near infra-red microarray scanner Innoscan 710-IR, which quantified fluorescence signal and facilitated the analysis of antibody binding to specific epitopes. This study shows that critically ill patients present higher levels of IgG against the three neuronal proteins DAB1, AIFM1, and SURF1 as compared to mild disease. These auto-Abs appear to be promising biomarkers of severe COVID and thus might allow for early treatment of high-risk patients before intensive care is needed.

Original publication :  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ebiom.2022.104211

#COVID-19 #PeptideMicroarray #Antineuronalantibodies #Brainstemantigens