Extracellular Vesicles of COVID-19 Patients Reflect Inflammation, Thrombogenicity, and Disease Severity

Anat Aharon, Ayelet Dangot, Fadi Kinaani, Mor Zavaro, Lian Bannon, Tali Bar-lev, Anat Keren-Politansky, Irit Avivi, Giris Jacob

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

11 Scopus citations

Abstract

Severe COVID-19 infections present with cytokine storms, hypercoagulation, and acute respiratory distress syndrome, with extracellular vesicles (EVs) being involved in coagulation and inflammation. This study aimed to determine whether coagulation profiles and EVs reflect COVID-19 disease severity. Thirty-six patients with symptomatic COVID-19 infection with mild/moderate/severe disease (12 in each group) were analyzed. Sixteen healthy individuals served as controls. Coagulation profiles and EV characteristics were tested by nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA), flow cytometry, and Western blot. While coagulation factors VII, V, VIII, and vWF were comparable, significant differences were found in patients’ D-Dimer/fibrinogen/free protein S levels compared to controls. Severe patients’ EVs displayed higher percentages of small EVs (<150 nm) with increased expression of exosome marker CD63. Severe patients’ EVs displayed high levels of platelet markers (CD41) and coagulation factors (tissue factor activity, endothelial protein C receptor). EVs of patients with moderate/severe disease expressed significantly higher levels of immune cell markers (CD4/CD8/CD14) and contained higher levels of IL-6. We demonstrated that EVs, but not the coagulation profile, may serve as biomarkers for COVID-19 severity. EVs demonstrated elevated levels of immune- and vascular-related markers in patients with moderate/severe disease, and may play a role in disease pathogenesis.

Original languageEnglish
Article number5918
JournalInternational Journal of Molecular Sciences
Volume24
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - 21 Mar 2023
Externally publishedYes

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 by the authors.

Keywords

  • COVID-19
  • extracellular vesicles (EVs)
  • inflammation
  • thrombogenicity

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Extracellular Vesicles of COVID-19 Patients Reflect Inflammation, Thrombogenicity, and Disease Severity'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this